Five horses have won the Maryland Million Turf twice, including Wicked Prankster, who wired the field in the last two editions. The 6-year-old gelding takes his first major step toward a record-setting third victory later this fall when he starts in Sunday’s $75,000 Find for Maryland-bred or -sired performers at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The star of trainer Samuel Davis’s six-horse stable, Wicked Prankster failed to hit the board in his first three starts this year. “Over the summer, it was so hot, and the turf was fast,” Davis said. “The weather should be nice on Sunday, so I expect him to run big.” It was Wicked Prankster’s pedigree that prompted Davis to claim him out of his debut, a $25,000 maiden-claimer at Delaware during summer 2020. “I bought a yearling by Mosler,” Davis said. “He was doing good. I breezed him from the gate and he came back bad. I was upset because he showed so much potential. I knew [Mosler] was going to have some good babies. As soon as the 2-year-old races came up, I saw Wicked Prankster in for $25,000. He was a Mosler, and his mommy did pretty good. This was my chance to have a 2-year-old Mosler.” :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Now 6, Wicked Prankster has earned $309,660 for Davis, who has his focus firmly set on the 2024 Maryland Million Turf on Oct. 12. “That’s been the ultimate goal,” added Davis, who expects Wicked Prankster to be the pacesetter. Crabs N Beer was beaten a neck in last year’s Find, and he returns to Maryland for the first time since a second-place finish in Pimlico’s Grade 3 Dinner Party at 1 1/8 miles over soft turf. Trainer Keri Brion took an unorthodox path to the Dinner Party. After finishing second in an allowance at Aqueduct to conclude his 2023 season, she ran Crabs N Beer in a 1 1/2-mile training flat race at the Greenspring Valley point-to-point races on March 31 at Shawan Downs. He then made his “official” seasonal debut 27 days later when dead-heating for the win in a state-sired allowance at Laurel at one mile before racing without blinkers in the Dinner Party. “Everyone told me I was crazy for” removing the blinkers after the win, Brion said after the Dinner Party. “He just needs to see the horses. He kind of leaned on [dead-heat winner Vax a Nation] the other day.” Crabs N Beer has raced twice in second-level allowances in New York since the Dinner Party, finishing third on June 16 before coming home seventh at 1 3/8 miles last month at Saratoga. "He never got a hold of the surface," Brion said about the last race. "He was bobbling. He just wasn't comfortable. I think the inner course is pretty tight and the ground is pretty hard." Brion mentioned that she doesn't want Crabs N Beer to be too close to the lead because he "tends to do too much, so he has to be switched off. I don't want to see him last, but hopefully [jockey Ben Curtis] can get a nice stalking position midpack." Both Wicked Prankster and Crabs N Beer were once trained by Jamie Ness, who sends out first-time turf runner Bestsugardaddyever. A younger half-sibling, Momma’s Lino, took a claiming race on turf on July 19. Sky’s Not Falling grabbed the Maryland Million Turf Sprint in 2021 and was the beaten favorite in last year’s Find. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the versatile Sky’s Not Falling returns from Woodbine after finishing fifth in a tough third-level allowance. Riccio enters in strong form after placing third in a restricted allowance at Delaware. Hunter Joe and Vax a Nation also entered. Vance Scholars runs o the main track only. All Brandy Stakes Gold Digging Broad seeks a repeat victory in Sunday’s co-feature, the $75,000 All Brandy for statebred or state-sired fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Trained by Miguel Vera, Gold Digging Broad crossed the wire second at 21-1 in last year’s All Brandy but was placed first via disqualification. Vera also saddles Circle Home, a late-running sixth in the Jameela at six furlongs on July 14. “The race was too short for her,” Vera told track publicity. “She’s a closer and last time out when she got to running the race was almost over.” Cut From Class might be the horse to beat after finishing a close second to odds-on Sparkle Blue in the open Big Dreyfus Stakes on July 21. “If it took that kind of horse to beat her, then I was feeling pretty good about that,” said Caitlin Keil, who seeks her first career stakes victory after going 4 for 13 to begin her training career. Lifelovenlaughter, Atlas Strong, Next Episode, and Thegirlfromireland enter off victories. My Brazilian Girl, One Silk Stocking, Naval Empire, and Juniper Juice also are expected. Bella Bettina and Malibu Beauty run on the main track only. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.