After wins in last year’s Federico Tesio on dirt and James W. Murphy on turf, Joe stamped himself as the best 3-year-old in the Mid-Atlantic region. A subsequent long layoff followed by two off-the-board finishes on grass dulled Joe’s star, but he can redeem himself Friday in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial at Laurel Park. The Bender Memorial, for 3-year-olds and upward at seven furlongs, is one of two $75,000 stakes for Maryland-bred or -sired performers on the program along with the Politely for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Trained by Michael Trombetta, Joe was away for 350 days after his Murphy triumph. “It started out that he needed a break, and then he had some minor setbacks along the way,” Trombetta said. “The next thing you know, you lose so much time.” Joe stumbled at the start of his return, a high-level allowance at Laurel on May 6, then was wired in a slow-paced heat the following month. “The turf courses weren’t getting any rain,” Trombetta said. “They were very hard and speed-favoring, and I honestly don’t think he liked them. Joe turns back to a sprint for the first time since his victory in the Maryland Juvenile Championship in 2021, but Trombetta is pleased with the way Joe is coming into the race. :: DRF's Black Friday Sale: Get 20% off (almost) everything in the DRF Shop. Code: BF2023 “This is a good way to kick off the season,” Trombetta said. “He hasn’t run in five or six months, and to have him ready to go [longer], I’d have to lean on him a lot harder. As long as he shows up and runs respectably, I’ll be good to go from there. He’s been training very well here lately and seems very happy.” Double Crown won the Polynesian at Pimlico on Sept. 10, then finished a hard-trying third in Laurel’s Maryland Million Classic on Oct. 14. He recently finished last of seven in the Grade 2 Forty Niner at Aqueduct. “I don’t know if [seven furlongs] is his best length,” owner Lynn Cash of Built Wright Stables commented. “When he was younger, he did a lot of sprinting. I think we’ll be all right.” Trained by Raymond Ginter Jr., Double Crown captured the Grade 2 Kelso during the 2022 Belmont at the Big A meeting and has banked over $750,000. “You can never count him out,” Cash said. “When he’s on, he’s as good as anybody.” Cash mentioned one advantage that Double Crown might have over his rivals is that he doesn’t have issues running without Lasix. Seven’s Eleven is a late-blooming, in-form contender for trainer Carlos Mancilla. A five-length winner of the Maryland Million Sprint two back, Seven’s Eleven finished a good third in a second-level allowance race at six furlongs on Nov. 2. He is unbeaten from three starts at seven furlongs, and has the tactical speed to lead or rate from his inside post. Sagamore Mischief is an intriguing new face shipping down from New York after being claimed by trainer Tom Morley for $40,000 out of a runner-up effort. The Into Mischief gelding was stakes-placed in 2021, finished behind next-out winners in his last two races, and has the early speed to be part of the pace picture. Super Accelerate and Coffeewithchris are both cross-entered in Saturday’s City of Laurel, but will likely run here, per their trainers. Robin Graham is looking forward to saddling Super Accelerate, who reeled off three straight wins before finishing ninth in the Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town on Aug. 25. “It poured rain a little bit before the race,” Graham said. “I think it being greasy and slippery with the short, tight turns cooked him.” Super Accelerate finished second in his most recent start, a first-level allowance going a mile on Oct. 28. Ain’t Da Beer Cold will be scratched, according to trainer Kenny Cox, and instead run in Saturday’s Richard W. Small at Laurel. Tenax, Hello Hot Rod, and Holy Synchronicity complete the field. Politely Stakes Intrepid Daydream looks like a deserving 3-5 favorite in the Politely. Trained by Gary Capuano, the hulking – she regularly tips the scales at over 1,150 pounds – daughter of Jess’s Dream has won her last three starts, including the Maryland Million Distaff. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Capuano entered Intrepid Daydream in the Thirty Eight Go Go on Nov. 11, but decided to wait for this spot. “Timing-wise, I wanted to give her a bit more,” Capuano said. “This being a restricted race, it seemed like the right kind of move for right now.” Capuano also entered Malibu Beauty. “It hasn’t quite panned out to be her year, unfortunately. She’s always there, but she’s got to improve to beat Daydream.” Response Time beat Malibu Beauty in the Timonium Distaff, then finished second behind Intrepid Daydream in the Distaff. She finished fifth in her final prep, a high-level allowance at Laurel three weeks ago. Utterly Enchanting, Canoodle, and Moonboots also are entered. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.