Circling the Drain Taking Next Step in Monday Feature

Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds’ 3-year-old gelding Circling the Drain, a homebred son of West Coast newly nominated to the Triple Crown, is set to make his second start of the year during a special Presidents Day holiday program Monday at Laurel Park.

Bred in Maryland and trained by Brittany Russell, Circling the Drain drew Post 5 under Jevian Toledo and is the 7-5 program favorite in Race 4, an entry-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds going around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Circling the Drain already owns a win at the distance over his home track of Laurel, a front-running seven-length waiver maiden claiming score Dec. 9 in his second career start. Out of the Cozzene mare Who’s Cozy, he has run second in his other two races, both behind Feeling Woozy, who finished third behind stakes winners Coffeewithchris and Prince of Jericho, the latter also trained by Russell, in Saturday’s $100,000 Miracle Wood.

“We’ve always liked Circling the Drain,” Russell said. “I always kind of thought he was turfy, but he also does nothing wrong on the dirt. He works well on the dirt and everything. He’s a big horse that I think needs to race. I’d like to think with racing that he continues to improve.”

Circling the Drain debuted last November at Laurel, racing near the front while three wide to finish second, nearly six lengths ahead of third-place finisher and next out winner General Nooz in a seven-furlong maiden special weight.