Russells Sweep Laurel Stakes with Peach Tie and Taj Mahal

Brittany Russell stood with a trophy naming her Maryland’s winningest trainer for a third straight season a little more than an hour before her stable’s double at Laurel Park, and Sheldon Russell rode both winners on Feb. 21 as Peach Tie won the Wide Country and Taj Mahal captured the Miracle Wood roughly 28 minutes later. Peach Tie covered seven furlongs in 1:27.80 with fractions of 24.08 and 48.26 to win the $100,000 Wide Country by three lengths as the 3-5 favorite and pay $3.20.

Peach Tie broke from a four-filly field set early by longshot Velocity Girl through the two path, with Momaxie hugging the rail and Law School three-wide while Peach Tie raced wider. Sheldon Russell swept into the turn, put Peach Tie two lengths clear after a half and extended in the stretch as Law School mounted a brief outside bid and Momaxie finished third, five lengths behind Law School. The chestnut homebred for the Estate of Brereton C. Jones is by Preservationist out of Belles Orb and was a $19,000 buyback as a yearling; the win extended her unbeaten dirt mark to five starts after an eight-length juvenile score in the Gin Talking Stakes on Dec. 27 and a single third-place finish on Tapeta at Presque Isle. On Peach Tie’s future, Brittany Russell said, “As long as she’s doing well. I skipped the last one [Xtra Heat Stakes on February 4] on purpose. We just let her take some time to see if she would grow a bit.” Sheldon Russell added, “She helps me a lot. She’s game. She’s pretty handy, and I’m just happy for the team.”

Taj Mahal, a bay Nyquist colt bred by Vegso Racing Stable in Florida, pressed gate-to-wire in the $100,000 Miracle Wood on a muddy, sealed Laurel surface to hold off Let’s Go Lando by a neck, with Close the Gate 3 3/4 lengths back in third. Taj Mahal broke alertly, set the pace, and withstood late pressure to pay $6.60 and produce an exacta that returned $5.90 for $1; his career bankroll rose to $88,200 as he became 2-for-2 after breaking his maiden by open lengths in his Feb. 6 debut. The colt was a $525,000 KEESEP2024 yearling by Eaton Sales, purchased by Donato Lanni, agent, for SF Bloodstock/Starlight Racing/Madaket, and races in a partnership that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket, Stonestreet, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. Brittany Russell assessed the effort plainly: “That was guts. He’s a nice horse. He’s still figuring things out, and I still think he’s a bit of a baby mentally. I’ll tell you what: this race will tighten him up.”

The pair of stakes wins spotlights contrasting bloodstock economics and the current stallion market: Peach Tie’s pathway as a $19,000 homebred and five-win dirt record contrasts with Taj Mahal’s $525,000 yearling price and immediate black-type payoff, while Taj Mahal also boosts the profile of sire Nyquist, who stands at Darley for $175,000 in 2026 and logged his third stakes winner of the year. The ownership string behind Taj Mahal underscores the growing prominence of large partnerships and syndicates in funding expensive yearlings and sharing racing risk.

With March 21 targets floated by the connections, Beyond the Wire for Peach Tie at one mile and the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms as a local option for Taj Mahal, the Russells leave Laurel Park with clear momentum: Brittany Russell’s state-leading training totals, Sheldon Russell’s hot hand in the irons, and two rising sophomores that reflect both homebred value and high-end investment in the current business of racing.