Obliteration flashes potential BC quality in Chick Lang

Already an extensive traveler throughout the U.S. and even to the Middle East, Obliteration asserted his class against six fellow three-year-olds in the $150,000 Chick Lang S. at Laurel Park on Saturday.

Rating within 1 1/2 lengths of pacesetter Shane's Wonder through the early stages of the six-furlong journey, Obliteration wore down that rival inside the final furlong en route to a 3 1/2-length score as the 7-10 choice under Jose Ortiz.

Owned by Leland Ackerley, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe, and John Cilia, Obliteration covered the distance in 1:09.77 over a fast track, a time swifter than older horses recorded in the Maryland Sprint (G3) and older fillies and mares in the Skipat S. on Saturday afternoon.

"He's an extremely talented horse who's remarkably versatile that's given us very good days," trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Winner of his first two starts, including the Sanford (G3), by a combined margin of 18 lengths, Obliteration later placed in the Saratoga Special (G2), Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint, and Indian Summer S., the latter two over grass. He finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, though he was beaten only three lengths.

After kicking off his 2026 campaign with a 7 1/2-length triumph in the Renaissance S. at Oaklawn Park, Obliteration next stretched out to a mile and finished a commendable second in the Saudi Derby (G3).

"I thought he performed extremely well [in the Saudi Derby], the way the racetrack was playing, the times they were throwing up for the day, I thought it was a true test of the mile," Asmussen said. "But I think the value to create with him now is to race him shorter. Obviously, the Allen Jerkens (G1), races like that, we feel he's of that caliber.

"I expect him to have two races between now and the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). It will all depend on how he comes out of this. For him to go 1:09-and-3 over this racetrack, he's very fast."

Bring the Smoke, making just his fourth career start and first in a stakes, was a rallying winner of the $150,000 Maryland Sprint by a neck over Faust, with Haileysfirstnotion another neck behind in third. Celtic Contender, the 2.90-1 favorite, finished fourth in the field of seven.

A maiden winner at Laurel in his second start, on Feb. 21, and most recently second against entry-level allowance foes at Keeneland, Bring the Smoke sprang the 7-1 upset in a time of 1:10.73 for six furlongs under Tyler Gaffalione. He paid $16.60.

Owned in partnership by Awestrike Racing, Berry Family Racing, Legion Racing, GLAM Racing, and Clarke Ohrstrom, the four-year-old gelded son of Preservationist is trained by Whit Beckman.

Striker Has Dial fired fresh off a layoff in the $123,750 Skipat. Outrunning 3-2 favorite speedball Modo to the lead, Striker Has Dial left plenty of reserve to pull away through the stretch to a 1 3/4-length tally under Ricardo Santana.

Benedetta finished second, three lengths ahead of Passage East, while Modo trailed the field of five.

Owned by Chief Horse Futures and trained by Horacio De Paz, Striker Has Dial finished up in 1:10.44 and paid $16.40. Runner-up in the 2025 Skipat, Striker Has Dial had not been out since capturing the Endine S. at Delaware Park on Sept. 27. The daughter of Dialed In has now won five of 15 starts.

Chasing Liberty squeezed through an opening along the rail inside the final furlong and then held off Outlaw Kid by a desperate nose to take the $125,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, a reversal of the result in the April 18 King Leatherbury S. over the course and distance, when Outlaw Kid edged Chasing Liberty by a neck.

Card Trick, a 23-1 chance, won a photo for third, while even-money favorite Jean Valjean weakened to fifth in the field of 10 after setting the pace.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for owners Twin Creeks Racing Stables and CMNWLTH, Chasing Liberty sped 5 1/2 furlongs on firm ground in 1:01.37 and paid $9.20.

Trained by Rob Atras, Chasing Liberty has won or placed in eight of 11 stakes appearances. A four-year-old by Constitution, he previously captured the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. in 2024, and the Texas Turf Mile in early 2025.

A stakes double for trainer Graham Motion kicked off in the $100,000 James W. Murphy S. for three-year-olds, when Turf Star surged late to catch My Favorite Bird by a half-length. Attfield just held off 2-1 favorite Proton by a head for third.

Motion, who later won the Gallorette (G3) with Warming, trains Turf Star for owner-breeder Calumet Farm. Ridden by Jorge Ruiz, Turf Star covered one mile on the turf in 1:35.82 and paid $10.40.

The James Murphy was the first stakes win for Turf Star, who had been unplaced in three stakes appearances since a runner-up effort in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland in October.

The $100,000 Sir Barton S., restricted to three-year-olds that had not won an open stakes, was captured in the final strides by Big Cuddle, who edged 1-2 favorite Final Story by a half-length. Ridden by Yedsit Hazelwood for owner Pocket 3's Racing and trainer Gary Capuano, Big Cuddle finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.47 and paid $12.80.

A Maryland-bred son of Great Notion, Big Cuddle last year captured the Maryland Million Nursery over six furlongs.

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