LAUREL, MD - To say that Circle P is a quirky horse is an understatement. “He’s a character, this horse, he’s something else,” trainer Flint Stites said in the winner’s circle Saturday following Circle P’s rallying victory in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile for Maryland-bred or -sired runners at seven furlongs at Laurel Park. “He lays down all day long,” Stites continued. “When he gets up, then he wants to dig a hole. You better feed him on time or you’re in trouble. He’s a character on the track. In the paddock, he almost kicked the outrider.” Circle P also kicked in the stretch of the Maryland Juvenile, and he kicked hard. Benefiting from a fast and contested pace as well as an excellent ride by jockey Ricardo Chiappe, Circle P bested Catahoula Moon by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:24.49 seconds over the fast track. Favored Speedyness finished another four lengths back in third. Then came Call Me Andy, Hittheroadjak, Cap Com, King’s River and Mister Agent. Jumpingjaggerflash scratched. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Circle P returned $19.80 as the fourth-choice in the wagering. Speedyness, fresh off two gate-to-wire victories, broke quickly, but was soon joined from his inside by Maryland Million Nursery winner Catahoula Moon, who showed surprising early speed under jockey Xavier Perez. Speedyness and Catahoula Moon battled for the lead through fractions of 22.95 and 45.66 with Call Me Andy settled in a good tracking position in third. Meanwhile, Chiappe had Circle P in a comfortable spot outside in midpack. They dropped to the rail and advanced under urging on the turn, split rivals in upper stretch, then overhauled a game, but tired, Catahoula Moon inside the final sixteenth. “He’s still a little green,” Chiappe said. “He doesn’t like the dirt in his face. In the stretch, I was thinking of going outside, but the horse put himself inside and flew home.” A gelded son of Speightster, Circle P was bred by Marathon Farms, and was purchased for $47,000 as a yearling by DeSales 05 LLC. Circle P finished second in his career debut, “a really good first race,” according to Stites, then graduated by 6 1/2 lengths at Laurel on Oct. 15.   Two weeks later, Circle P finished third as the favorite behind Speedyness. “He broke a little slow and he got hit pretty hard out of the gate,” Stites said. “He was pushed way back, and he doesn’t like the [kickback]. Circle P has earned $101,990, and Stites believes the half-brother to stakes-winning dirt router Sir Rock will successfully stretch out in distance. Maryland Juvenile Filly While the boys blazed the trail in the early portion of the Juvenile, Kissedbyanangel strolled on a leisurely pace in the Juvenile Filly, also for $100,000 at seven furlongs. “They made it easy for her today,” admitted owner-trainer Joanne Shankle in the winner’s circle. Ridden by Angel Cruz, favored Kissedbyanangel broke on top, and faced only token pressure from Determined Sail through glacial fractions of 24.26 and 48.05 seconds. Sheilahs Warcloud emerged from midpack to challenge outside Kissedbyanangel turning into the stretch, but the chalk had too much left in the tank. Kissedbyanangel rebuffed Sheilahs Warcloud, and sprinted home to score by two lengths in 1:24.94. Big Earn placed third, 4 1/2 lengths behind runner-up Sheilahs Warcloud. Binnie was fourth, followed home by Lucky Cougar, Determined Sail, Still Game and Little Crybaby. Shankle claimed Kissedbyanangel for $12,500 out of a winning career debut at Pimlico on Sept. 10. “She’s a Maryland-bred by Golden Lad, and we just took a shot,” Shankle said. Shankle first tried Kissedbyanangel on turf in the Selima Stakes, but the filly placed eighth of 10. Returning to dirt for the Maryland Million Lassie, the filly finished a solid third, 6 1/2 lengths behind Sheilah’s Warcloud. Two weeks later, Kissedbyanangel finished second in a first-level allowance, then was an impressive winner when entered for the $62,500 claiming option on Nov. 12. “She was a little nervous kind of a filly, but she’s calming down,” Shankle said. Bred by Super C Racing, Kissedbyanangel hails from the family of Grade 3-winning router Saint Marden and Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro. She has earned $136,930. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.