You might think with four horses entered in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, a 1 1/4-mile grass race, and six more in the 1 1/2-mile McKnight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park that trainer Mike Maker had emptied his stable of distance turf runners. You might think that if you didn’t know how Maker’s operation runs. Maker over the last several years has amassed the deepest, strongest roster of older-male, turf-route stakes horses in North America, and he has four more entered for the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup on Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park. Maker’s quartet could become a trio if, as he was told by Sam Houston racing officials Thursday that Shady McGee is unlikely to draw into the field from the also-eligible list. Shipping day from South Florida is Friday and with no assurance that Shady McGee gets to run, Maker said he wouldn’t bother sending the horse. That still leaves Ajourneytofreedom, who finished second by a neck in the 2021 Connally; Tide of the Sea, a fully capable contender on his best day; and Malthael, who will need the race of his life to contend. Maker won the Connally six years in a row, from 2014 to 2019, including three straight victories from Bigger Picture. Before Ajourneytofreedom just missed in the 2021 renewal, the Maker-trained Bemma’s Boy finished second in the 2020 Connally. “Rough trips. I needed another jump or two the last two years,” Maker said. :: Want to start playing with a $510 bankroll and have access to free Formulator? Learn more Maker has done exceedingly well with his older-male turf claims, but concedes, looking at his slate of entries in the division this weekend, things might have spiraled. “It snowballed and it’s left the stable quite unbalanced,” Maker said. “We do have an overabundance of turf horses, but spring will be here before we know it and they’ll be easier to separate.” Maker accords Tide of the Sea, 10-1 on the morning line with Tyler Gaffalione named to ride, as strong a chance as 7-2 morning-line favorite Ajourneytofreedom, 7-2 with Joel Rosario taking the call. During his 2021 campaign Tide of the Sea mixed strong performances with abysmal runs, Maker attributing his mercurial form to pace. Tide of the Sea is a front-running type and if drawn into a tempo too swift is liable to spit the bit. Maker thinks Conviction Trade, a horse he used to train, will set the pace and that Tide of the Sea can rate off his flank. “Hopefully he can lay second and get into a nice rhythm.” Ajourneytofreedom has run well but managed only one win in the 11 starts since Maker claimed him for $80,000 in August 2020. He comes out of a second-place finish in the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens on Dec. 24 and long has been aimed toward the Connally. “He always leaves himself a little too much to do,” Maker said. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures Fantasioso ended his 2021 campaign on a couple sour notes and was beaten seven lengths in the Jerkens. He’s failed to win in eight starts since being imported from Argentina, but his top performances last season would put him in win contention. Trainer Joe Sharp entered two, Hierarchy and Logical Myth, the latter scratched from a Fair Grounds stakes last weekend in favor of the Connally. Another Mystery, based in New Orleans with the Chris Block barn, won the Buddy Diliberto Memorial at Fair Grounds in late December, while Strong Tide is a better horse than he showed finishing seventh in the 2021 Connally. Maker also has live chances in the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile and in the $100,000 Turf Sprint. He entered three in the Texas Turf Mile, which is restricted to 3-year-olds, but said Grantham won’t ship from Turfway Park and will be scratched. That leaves Pure Panic, who is sure to show speed stretching out from sprints, and Stolen Base, the race’s most likely winner provided he gets an honest tempo at which to run. Stolen Base lacks positional speed but has plenty of talent, finishing a fast-closing second to Tiz the Bomb in the Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes last October at Keeneland. Stolen Base went to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and finished seventh but was beaten only four lengths. Maker believes Stolen Base has ample room to develop as a 3-year-old. “He was an immature horse as a 2-year-old,” he said. “He’s easy on himself and he’s got every right to improve this year, especially with more distance.” The Todd Pletcher-trained Chanceaux, beaten a head in the $100,000 Dania Beach last out at Gulfstream Park, also ships from South Florida. Dowagiac Chief was an easy Fair Grounds turf-allowance winner last out while aided by a speed-favoring course. And trainer Brad Cox sends two from New Orleans, Bloodline and Kaely’s Brother, neither of whom has tried turf. Bloodline, a $600,000 auction purchase by Uncle Mo, was rained off an intended grass start Dec. 31, winning anyway, and rates a second look Sunday. Maker is on his second stint with Bad Beat Brian, 8-5 morning-line favorite with Gaffalione in the five-furlong Turf Sprint. Maker lost the gelding for $62,500 at the claim box in June but took him back for $40,000 in July, and Bad Beat Brian, winning a Claiming Crown turf sprint Dec. 4, earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. “He’s had ample time between starts and hopefully he duplicates the performance,” Maker said. Archidust, away since August, will race competitively if he gets anywhere near his top performances for trainer Steve Asmussen, who also entered Americanus and Grinning Tiger. Jersey Lilly Stakes Catch a Bid, who ships from south Louisiana, and Breeze Rider, who comes in from southern Illinois, are principal players in the $75,000 Jersey Lilly, for older fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles on grass. Catch a Bid got the wrong trip – she’s best stalking or closing and instead pressed the pace – while returning from a lengthy layoff when she finished fourth in the 2021 Jersey Lily. Trainer Joe Sharp scratched her from a Fair Grounds stakes last weekend to run in this spot. Breeze Rider has been training with Steve Manley at FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing, formerly known as Fairmount Park, and from there has shipped this winter to win a turf stakes race at Fair Grounds and a Tapeta stakes at Turfway. Breeze Rider failed to show her best on Oaklawn dirt Jan. 8, but decidedly prefers turf and should be a forward factor throughout under E.T. Baird.