The first leg of the 2026 Maryland Sire Stakes for two-year-old fillies got underway on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at Ocean Downs and it did not take long for the newest generation of the state-bred stars to make their mark.
In the opening race of the night, Nobody Knows It put her talent on full display as she delivered a record performance for Maryland trainer/owner Richard Hans. The homebred daughter of Betting Gangster S out of Goo Luck Charm dominated the first $13,889 Maryland Sire Stakes event for two-year-old trotting fillies, stopping the timer in 1:56.2 and establishing a new stakes record and a new track record for the division.
With Corey Callahan in the sulky, Nobody Knows It left from post two and immediately established control of the seven-horse field. Once she reached the front, there was no doubt about the outcome as she opened up a leading margin into the double-digits that she sustained the entire mile. Nobody Knows It carved out fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27.4 before closing it out with a :28.3 final frame, with a final winning margin of 11-1/4 lengths in front of her stablemate, Thats It For You (Russell Foster). Aphea (Frank Milby) was a distant third.
Nobody Knows It won her very first Maryland Sire Stakes preliminary appearance and improved to three-for-three lifetime.
For Hans, the night could hardly have started better. Not only did his chestnut filly win the opening Maryland Sire Stakes division, she did it in record-setting fashion while representing the Maryland breeding program.
The evening’s first $13,889 pacing division produced a much closer contest, with If I Win Uwin finding another gear in the stretch to pull away from Dapper Dudette.
Driven by Brandon Givens for trainer Les Givens, If I Win Uwin settled just off the early leader before taking command at the half. The daughter of Dapper Dude out of Aubergine Hanover reached the half in 1:00.1 and remained in control through three-quarters in 1:30.3. Dapper Dudette (William Carter) stayed within striking distance, but If I Win Uwin responded when called upon and opened up through the stretch to win by six lengths in 1:59.3. Dapper Dudette settled for second while Cougar Roar (Roger Plante Jr.) finished third.
A first-time winner in her third career start, If I Win Uwin is owned by J M B Ventures of Eden, Maryland.
The second $13,889 pacing division produced another decisive winner as All That Rusty led from start to finish.
With Anthony Morgan driving for trainer Herman Hagerman, All That Rusty left from post six and quickly moved to the front by the first quarter mark. The daughter of Rustys For Real out of Allthatjazz De Vie controlled the race through fractions of :29, :59.2 and 1:29.3 before finishing in 1:59.1. R U Kidding (Jared Moyer), who made a strong move from the back of the field, finished 4-1/2 lengths behind in second and Paddy The Baddy (Roger Plante Jr.) was third.
Undefeated in two starts, All That Rusty is owned by Hagerman Racing of Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
(With files from Maryland Standardbred Fund)