Saddle Up Jessie drops in class and distance for Sunday’s $100,000 Caesar’s Wish for fillies and mares racing 1 1/16 miles at Laurel. Multiple stakes-winner Saddle Up Jessie made a strong three-wide move on the second turn of last month’s Grade 2 Delaware Handicap before flattening out and settling for second in that 1 3/16-mile event. “The distance was a bit of an issue because she’s sort of a free-rolling filly,” jockey Sheldon Russell told Daily Racing Form after the Delaware Handicap. “I knew I couldn’t sit her four wide the whole race because, if she sees daylight, she doesn’t really pull, but she’s got that one speed. She loomed up there like she was going to pass [the winner].” :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Affirmative Lady is one of the more intriguing entrants. A Grade 2 winner last year, the Arrogate filly hasn’t raced since finishing 11th in the 2023 Kentucky Oaks. Listed as an $885,000 buyback last November at Fasig-Tipton, Affirmative Lady now races for new connections, and shows six bullet workouts since joining Michael Stidham’s Delaware barn. “We’re just hoping to get her back started,” Stidham told track publicity. “Anytime you go from your 3-year-old year to running against older horses, that’s always a test.” Evidencias, a Group 1 winner on turf in Brazil, is winless in six tries in the United States. The beaten favorite in her last two, both first-level allowances, she now adds blinkers. Trainer Gary Capuano saddles both Malibu Beauty and Intrepid Dream after they finished first and third, respectively, in a restricted off-turf allowance at Delaware 11 days ago. Grade 3 winner Foggy Night stretches out to a more appropriate distance after finishing off the board sprinting in her first race following a lengthy layoff. Continentalcongres wired second-level allowance foes on dirt two back. She then finished fourth in Colonial’s restricted Brookmeade on turf. Trainer Michael Trombetta expects Continentalcongres to be close to the pace. Majestic Creed and Lexa complete the field. Searching Stakes Trombetta switches things up with Call Another Play in the $100,000 Searching for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The winner of Laurel’s Weber City Miss on April 20, and third in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan, Call Another Play returns to turf for the first time since her debut. The surface change shouldn’t be too much of an issue as Call Another Play is a half-sister to Future Is Now, who Trombetta conditioned to win the Grade 2 Intercontinental on Saratoga turf earlier this year. “There was really nothing that fit as far as going long on the dirt that was a desirable spot,” Trombetta said. “She was second in a maiden race [on turf], so we figured why not revisit that while we have a chance.” Belle of Rights might be the horse to beat after placing behind a promising odds-on winner in Delaware’s Christiana on July 8. Belle of Rights looms a strong late threat for trainer Shug McGaughey. Stidham trains Distorted d’Oro, who makes her stakes debut after winning her first two starts at Delaware. “We’re certainly raising the bar for her, and she’s got to take another step forward to be competitive,” Stidham told track publicity. “The filly has been very willing and done everything that we’ve asked.” Madame Mischief hit the board in her last four starts, including a pacesetting try in Monmouth’s Boiling Springs on July 13. Roanan Goddess and Juniper Juice also entered. Play Good Pay Good is entered for the main track only. Bald Eagle Derby Desvio took his game to another level since moving to turf and adding blinkers. He’ll look to remain unbeaten from three grass attempts when he runs 1 1/8 miles in the $100,000 Bald Eagle Derby. After defeating three next-out winners in his turf debut, a 38-1 upset of a first-level allowance at Laurel, Desvio then won the Kent Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Delaware. Mugatu returns to Maryland for the first time since finishing eighth in the Preakness. Trained by Jeff Engler, the Blofeld colt recently ran fifth in the Iowa Derby on July 6. “The rail was the place to be,” Engler said. “We had to move out at the five-sixteenths pole, and [jockey Joe Bravo] said it was five or six inches deeper out there. We took the blinkers off, and when we turned for home, Joe said he looked up at the lights and took his mind off things.” Mugatu is winless from four prior turf starts. “I think it’s going to be good for him,” Engler continued. “He’s run good races on turf, synthetic, and dirt.” Trevesso showed off an eye-catching turn of foot when rallying from last to take Parx’s Crowd Pleaser on June 24. Maiden winner Cinder Block, stakes-placed Wine Collector, speedy Elevated Game, and Give It a Whirl also entered. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.