Photo:

Maryland Jockey Club

It turns out you can go home again.

Post Time, who proved himself top notch through a string of strong races in New York, returned to familiar surroundings Saturday and appeared happy to be home. The talented gray crushed the competition, cruising to an emphatic 11 1/2-length victory in the Polynesian Stakes at Laurel Park.

Looking for a confidence builder for her stable star, trainer Brittany Russell found just that in the listed one-mile stakes race at their home track.

Facing a significantly easier bunch than he did in a pair of million-dollar, Grade 1 races at Saratoga, the 4-year-old son of Frosted toyed with overmatched rivals in such a way that it will be hard to keep Post Time out of another big race in his next start.

That test would likely come on Nov. 2 at Del Mar in the form of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. No commitments have been made yet for Posty, as they call him, but it would seem a very logical spot for a horse who has become simply too good for the local competition.

Sent off at prohibitive 1-20 odds under the trainer’s husband, rider Sheldon Russell, Post Time was content to sit back in last in the field of five through the early stages.

When asked for a little speed in the one-turn mile, he quickly moved into contention up the rail.

Briefly in a three-horse battle and between horses as they approached the stretch, Russell gave his mount his cue, and the class of the field quickly pulled clear.

Post Time poured it on down the lane to hit the wire all alone. The final time for the eight-furlong trip over the fast main track at Laurel was 1:36.98.

When last seen in the state where he was bred, Post Time raced to an easy victory seven months ago in the seven-furlong, Grade 3 General George Stakes, which was his first graded-stakes win. From there he took the show on the road for a quartet of graded stakes in New York.

His first two starts in the Empire State came at Aqueduct and began with a win in the historic Carter Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs. After a fast closing second in the one-mile Westchester Stakes (G3), Post Time ventured on to Saratoga for two of the most prestigious older-male races in the nation.

He never threatened the winners in either the Met Mile (G1) or the Whitney (G1), but in each he proved that he belongs in the highest level of racing.

In the Met Mile he rallied to finish second behind speedy National Treasure. In the Whitney, his first try at nine furlongs, he just missed second behind pacesetter Arthur’s Ride.

In the two very solid performances at Saratoga the unheralded Maryland-bred finished ahead of a slew of established runners like White Abarrio, Hoist the Gold, Blazing Sevens, Disarm, Skippylongstocking, National Treasure, First Mission, Bright Future and Charge It.

The best horse in Maryland by a long way, Post Time runs for the top trainer in the state as well. A former assistant for several big-name trainers, Brittany Russell is a rising star in the game.

Out on her own since 2018, the young trainer led Maryland in victories and money won last season.

With nearly $8 million in purses in 2023 and 177 wins, Russell was in the top 20 nationally in both categories.

Finding similar success this season she may be poised for a big autumn led by the best horse she has trained.

In winning for the seventh time in seven career races at Laurel, Post Time added $60,000 to his bankroll and is just a shade under a million at $997,910. Owned by Hillwood Stable of Ellen Charles, the consistent runner has never finished worse than third in his career with a record of 13: 9-2-2.

With a record like that and some confidence restored after a romping win, it would make perfect sense to see Post Time in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in seven weeks at Del Mar. If so the son of Frosted, trained and ridden by Russell and Russell, should not be ignored.