Bowie Race Course was once a part of the Maryland thoroughbred racing circuit, but closed for live racing in 1985 and later operated as a training center until 2014. Several horses that either raced or trained there are among the 37 members of the Maryland-bred thoroughbred Hall of Fame.
Feels So Right leads the field past the finish line the first time at Timonium Race Course, site of the Maryland State Fair and the annual Maryland-bred Hall of Fame inductions.
Bowie Race Course was once a part of the Maryland thoroughbred racing circuit, but closed for live racing in 1985 and later operated as a training center until 2014. Several horses that either raced or trained there are among the 37 members of the Maryland-bred thoroughbred Hall of Fame.
Southern Maryland News file photo
Feels So Right leads the field past the finish line the first time at Timonium Race Course, site of the Maryland State Fair and the annual Maryland-bred Hall of Fame inductions.
Since the inception of the Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Hall of Fame in 2013, more than three dozen horses, including a pair of recent inductees, have been selected for the honor and now nearly 10 of them have some connection to both Bowie Race Course and Marlboro Race Track, both of which ceased live racing in the 1980’s and 1990’s, respectively.
But last Friday afternoon at Timonium Race Course, site of the Maryland State Fair, Caveat and Smart Angle, both of which were trained by Woody Stephens for owner-breeder Ryehill Farm in Carroll County, were added to the growing list of horses honored by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. Caveat won the Belmont Stakes in the final start of his career, while Smart Angle won the Luck Penny Stakes at Bowie en route to earning the Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old filly in 1979.
“I was in college when Smart Angle was winning those two-year-old stakes races,” said Daniel Ryan, son of Ryehill Farm founder James Ryan. “It was great just being able to interact with a Hall of Fame trainer like Woody Stephens. I remember before the Belmont he told jockey Laffit Pincay to take him back to last and then go five lengths further back then turn him loose going into the far turn.”
“Maryland-breds have always competed at the highest levels, and this year’s two inductees certainly embodied that tradition,” said Maryland Racing Media Association president Frank Vespe. “From Smart Angle’s four Grade I wins in two months to Caveat’s tremendous win in the Belmont, these two carry on the tradition for Maryland’s breeding industry during some of its more productive years.”
Among the Maryland-bred Hall of Fame horses that trained at Bowie, Little Bold John was among the more accomplished recording 38 wins and earning nearly $2 million for trainer John (Jerry) Robb. Oddly enough, the durable and well-traveled John Alden did not record a win in four starts over his home track. But his ability to win stakes elsewhere, including the Grade II Donn at Gulfstream Park, solidified his status as a Hall of Famer.
In contrast, Jameela, the first Maryland-bred to ever eclipse the $1 million plateau in career earnings, won all seven of her starts at Bowie including consecutive runnings of the Barbara Fritchie. Heavenly Cause, a 2024 inductee, won the Marlboro Nursery at Bowie at age two en route to earning the Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old filly.
Fittingly, the Maryland-bred Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Timonium took place after Feels So Right (Yedsit Hazelwood) captured a turn-turn maiden $25,000 claiming race for two-year-old males. A Maryland-bred juvenile son of Uncle Lino owned, bred and trained by Hamilton Smith, Feels So Right graduated in his second career outing by getting the about 6 1/2 furlong distance in 1:19.67 as the 4-1 third choice.
A pair of Maryland-bred allowance events for fillies and mares were also the co-features on the nine-race card. Neolithica (J.D. Acosta) recorded her second straight score when she led throughout for trainer Kieron Magee then two races later Dwelling Legacy (Hazelwood) prompted the face early then outfought Great Andrei for a determined neck victory in the penultimate race on the card for trainer Gary Capuano.
