Obliteration Returns Stateside in Chick Lang

Obliteration makes his return to the United States as the 6-5 favorite in the $150,000 Chick Lang Stakes May 16 at Laurel Park. The 3-year-old son of Violence is coming off a second-place finish in the Feb. 14 Saudi Derby (G3). Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, his first start this year came in the Jan. 3 Renaissance Stakes, which he won by 7 1/2 lengths going 6 furlongs, which is the same distance as the Chick Lang. As a 2-year-old, Obliteration became a graded stakes winner in his second career start in the Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course by 10 1/2 lengths. Owned by Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe, and John Cilia, Obliteration raced the second half of his 2-year-old season on grass, running second in the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland, and wrapped up his year with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint (G1T) before switching back to dirt this year. Obliteration will have to beat seven rivals, including front-runner Shane's Wonder, the undefeated Alfredo Velazquez trainee and Uptowncharleybrown Stud homebred who comes into the Chick Lang off a win in the Wait For It Stakes at Parx Racing. Modo looks to make it three in a row in the Skipat Stakes In the $125,000 Skipat Stakes, Modo looks to earn her third stakes victory in a row in the 6-furlong dirt race. Trained by Kinnon LaRose, who recently took over Tom Amoss's stable, Modo has won two races in a row—the Yellow Rose Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park and the Blue Bonnet Stakes at Lone Star Park. The Texas-bred filly will be in her comfort zone, never racing beyond 6 furlongs in her 11-race career. Owned by Joel Politi, the 4-year-old daughter of Liam's Map is the 9-5 morning line favorite. She will face six, including graded stakes winners and the newly crowned Pennsylvania Horse of the Year, Kappa Kappa, who upset the 2025 Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. Reagan's Honor wheels back in Sir Barton After a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), Reagan's Honor returns to his most comfortable distance in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes run at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Reagan's Honor entered the Blue Grass off back-to-back wins in a maiden special weight and an allowance race, both run at 1 1/6 miles that he won by a combined 8 lengths. The son of Honor A. P. tracked the leaders in the Blue Grass, but faded in the stretch, finishing 27 lengths behind the winner Further Ado. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo, and Gabriel Duignan, the colt is looking to notch his first stakes victory on his résumé. Motion brings duo into James W. Murphy Stakes Trainer Graham Motion brings two into the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes, led by Proton. The race goes 1 mile on the turf. The son of Astern (AUS) is the 9-5 morning line favorite. Owned by Stone Farm, Tom Reiman, Ken Wheeler Jr., Lynwood Napier, and Deborah Easter, the gelding is taking a step back in company and distance, coming into the race off a seventh-place finish in the Transylvania Stakes (G3T) going 1 1/16 miles. He has not found his way into the winner circle since Sep. 27, when he won the Laurel Futurity Stakes but has been twice stakes-placed since then. Motion's second entry is the 5-2 son of Caravaggio, Turf Star. His lone win came at 1 mile on the Keeneland turf course that he followed with a runner-up finish in the Bourbon Stakes (G2T). In his last start, he was a well-beaten ninth in the 1 1/8-mile Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on the all-weather track at Turfway Park, which encouraged his connections to move him back to his preferred surface and distance. Chasing Liberty leads wide open Jim McKay Turf Sprint The $125,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs attracted a field of 11 led by 3-1 morning-line favorite Chasing Liberty. The 4-year-old son of Constitution is trained by Rob Atras for owners Twin Creeks Racing Stables and CMNWLTH. Chasing Liberty was narrowly defeated in his last start by Outlaw Kid in the King T. Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel. Outlaw Kid also enters the Jim McKay at odds of 5-1. The 7-year-old gelded son of Violence is looking to make it back-to-back wins for owners R.A. Hill Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds and trainer George Weaver. Run Curtis Run is looking to get back into the winner circle after just narrowly missing his 2026 debut in a turf sprint allowance race at Churchill Downs. At 4-1, the multiple stakes-placed Mike Maker trainee is the second choice in the morning line.