Six weeks after securing his elusive maiden victory, Falcon Jet will take his first stakes test Saturday in the $100,000 Sir Barton sponsored by Connelly Family Foundation to benefit TAA on the Preakness (G1) Day program at Laurel Park.
Named for the first winner of the Triple Crown in 1919, the $100,000 race is for 3-year-old non-winners of an open sweepstakes going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. It is the sixth race on the blockbuster program headed by the $2 million Preakness Stakes, Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Falcon Jet, a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, was purchased for $750,000 and started his career in California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. After hitting the board in all five of his starts last year without a victory, he was transferred to Brittany Russell, the three-time leading trainer in Maryland. In his first start for the new barn, Falcon Jet broke his maiden by four lengths April 4 under Russell’s husband, jockey Sheldon Russell.
Team Russell is using the Sir Barton to try him in a two-turn dirt race. Sheldon Russell and Falcon Jet will leave from Post 5 in the field of seven.
“Sheldon thinks there’s a stretch-out in him,” Brittany Russell said. “He’s a real cool, laid-back horse. He won going three-quarters last time and I remember telling Sheldon with this horse to make sure and get his mind on business because he’s so laid-back. He just kind of does what he has to do, but he’s been working with some good horses in the morning. He worked with a horse called Derbyness [May 7] and he stayed right with him and galloped out so I think he’ll handle the stretch-out.”
Kentucky Derby (G1) winning trainer Cherie DeVaux will send out Reagan’s Honor, who was last seen finishing sixth in the Blue Grass (G1) April 4 at Keeneland. The Honor A.P. colt broke his maiden going 1 1/16miles at Fair Grounds Jan. 17 and followed that score with a 6 ¾-length victory in an open first-level allowance against older horses Feb. 19. He was sent off at 2-1 in the Blue Grass, tracked the pace early on, but faded in the later stages of the race. Derby-winning rider Jose Ortiz will be on Reagan’s Honor for the third straight race.
After flourishing in New York-bred company, Minorinconvenience, owned and trained by Amelia Green, was entered in the April 4 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, where he was bumped at the break and never got into contention. He broke his maiden by 11 ½ lengths in his second start, posted a comfortable win in the Funny Cide at Saratoga and opened his 2026 campaign with a second in the Gander. Minorinconvenience, who was gelded after the Wood, drew the rail and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Local Maryland trainer Gary Capuano has a pair of Sir Barton runners – Big Cuddle, who will race in blinkers for the first time, and Let’s Go Lando, who was second by a neck as the favorite to Preakness runner Taj Mahal in the Miracle Wood, third by a length in the Private Terms, and a well-beaten third in the Federico Tesio, also won by Taj Mahal.
Gary and Mary West’s homebred Final Story, out of the mare Book Review, arrives at the Sir Barton after breaking his maiden by six lengths at Gulfstream Park April 19. The Candy Ride colt, trained by Brad Cox, will be ridden from Post 4 by Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Day At The Races LLC’s Pont Aven has won his last two starts for trainer Michael Trombetta. The Maryland-bred son of Blofeld often found trouble in races earlier in his career. He has scored both of his wins at Laurel – where he has competed in all seven races – since being stretched out to one mile.
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
