The 70th  running of the Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older, and the 46th edition of the $250,000 General George (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs, headline a program featuring six stakes worth $900,000 in purses including the $100,000 Miracle Wood, the next stop in Maryland's series for 3-year-olds.

Hibiscus Punch sprung a 41-1 upset in the 2021 Fritchie over a field that included multiple stakes winners Hello Beautiful, Dontletsweetfoolya and Needs Supervision; graded winners Sharp Starr and Estilo Talentoso; and stakes winner and multiple graded-stakes placed Club Car. Hibiscus Punch has run twice since, finishing fifth in the Derby City Distaff (G1) last May before returning to be ninth following a troubled trip in the Jan. 29 What a Summer at Laurel.

Club Car (third), Sharp Starr (sixth) and Dontletsweetfoolya (seventh) are all returning nominees to the Fritchie, which debuted at 1 1/16 miles in 1952 at old Bowie Race Track and has been run exclusively at seven furlongs since 1964.

Leader of the Band won the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Oaks (G3) last summer and was second in the Cathryn Sophia, contested at a mile and 70 yards, but has not raced since finishing sixth in the Sept. 25 Cotillion (G1). Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainer John Servis also nominated Bold Confection, a last-out optional claiming allowance winner Jan. 5 at Parx.

Sharp Starr won the 2020 Go For Wand (G3) at Aqueduct and the 2021 Empire Distaff at Belmont Park and most recently finished third in the Dec. 30 Bay Ridge. R Adios Jersey is 6-0 in her career including victories in the Sophomore Fillies, Charles Town Oaks (G3) and City of Ocala in succession spread out over nine months, the latter Dec. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Also nominated are multiple stakes winners Jakarta, most recently third in the Inside Information (G2) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, and Bank Sting; Belle of the North and Kaylasaurus, both stakes winners at Laurel; Euphoric, beaten a nose when second in the 2021 Miss Preakness (G3) at historic Pimlico Race Course; stakes winners Glass Ceiling and Prodigy Doll; and Fraudulent Charge, never worse than third in eight starts including four seconds in Laurel stakes.

The General George, which also began at Bowie in 1973, attracted 25 nominations graded-stakes winners Chateau, Green Light Go, Phat Man and Laurel-based Wondrwherecraigis. Trained by Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis has finished first in each of his last five starts, all stakes, but was disqualified to second for interference in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3). He rebounded with a victory in the Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont and returned from a minor foot issue to capture the Jan. 29 Fire Plug at Laurel.

Last out winner of the Dec. 19 Gravesend at Aqueduct, Chateau won the Tom Fool (G3) and was fourth in the Carter (G1) last year, also finishing second in the Runhappy (G3) and third in the Fall Highweight (G3). Green Light Go won the Saratoga Special (G2) and was second in the Champagne (G1) in 2019 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Second in the 2021 Fall Highweight, he returned to the winner's circle with a nine-length optional claiming allowance triumph Jan. 13 at Aqueduct.

Phat Man won the 2020 Fred Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream and has raced up and down the East Coast since, including last fall's Polynesian at Laurel, where he finished third but was placed second. Most recently he was last of seven in failed grass attempt ini the Jan. 8 Tropical Turf (G3) at Gulfstream.

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker has won his last three starts, all in Laurel stakes – the Richard W. Small in November, Robert T. Manfuso in December and Jennings Jan. 29. Trainer John Ortiz nominated the trio of multiple stakes winner Hollis; Grade 1-placed Mucho, winner of the six-furlong Challedon last summer at Pimlico; and stakes-placed Top Gunner.

Other prominent nominees include 2021 Maryland Million Sprint winner Air Token; Grade 3-placed Happy Medium; and stakes winners Penguin Power, Shackqueenking, Sir Alfred James, Threes Over Deuces, Timeless Bounty and Wendell Fong.

The Elkstone Group's Joe, homebred winner of the 2021 Maryland Juvenile riding a three-race win streak, tops 19 nominees to the Miracle Wood. The one-mile Miracle Wood is followed in Maryland's 3-year-old stakes series by the $100,000 Private Terms at 1 1/16 miles March 19 and $125,000 Federico Tesio going 1 1/8 miles April 16 – a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 147^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21.

Coastal Mission, Local Motive and Alottahope, respectively second, third and fourth in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 29 at Laurel; South Florida-based Make It Big, undefeated in three starts including stakes wins in the Juvenile Sprint and Springboard Mile; Shame Em Loose, 59-1 winner of the 2021 Heft at Laurel; Midnight Chrome, third in the Dec. 4 Remsen (G2); and Parx Juvenile show finisher Script are also nominated.

The $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies drew 22 nominations, led by Jan. 29 Xtra Heat winner Luna Belle; 2021 Maryland Million Lassie winner Buff My Boots; Mama G's Wish, riding a three-race win streak; Beneath the Stars, second in the Gin Talking and third in the Xtra Heat; Goddess of Fire, third in the 2021 Pocahontas (G3) at Keeneland; and Sweet Gracie, third in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies.

Air Token, Cordmaker, Phat Man and Shackqueenking are also among 19 nominees to the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up going about 1 1/16 miles, along with Bobby G, a 14-time winner at Laurel; multiple New York-bred stakes winner Sea Foam; and Workin On a Dream, second to Cordmaker in the Small and Manfuso in his last two starts.

Completing the stakes action is the $100,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares 4 and up at about 1 1/16 miles which attracted 19 nominations, including Belle of the North and Leader of the Band; multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter and Miss Leslie; Battle Bling, last out winner of the Jan. 16 Ladies at Aqueduct; Kiss the Girl, exiting a victory in the one-mile Geisha Jan. 29 at Laurel; and Frost Point, a popular 1 1/16-mile allowance winner Jan. 27 at Laurel for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

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Hibiscus Punch rallied to upset Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya, both multiple stakes winners coming in on lengthy win streaks, at odds of 41-1. It was also the first graded triumph for the 6-year-old mare, and second in two months for owner-breeders Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson following Eres Tu in the Dec. 26 Allaire du Pont (G3), also at Laurel.

“I was cautiously optimistic. Obviously, Hello Beautiful is an awful nice mare, and Dontletsweetfoolya, and they were both coming into the race strong and with strong resumes. We would have just been happy with a graded placing for the filly,” Nixon said. “To win it was just over the top.”

It was just the eighth career start for Hibiscus Punch, by Into Mischief out of the Machiavellian mare Bellini Sunrise. In her only previous stakes attempt, she ran second by 2 ¼ lengths behind Dontletsweetfoolya in the Willa On the Move on the du Pont undercard. In between, she won an open Jan. 17 allowance at Laurel; all three came with Horacio Karamanos aboard.

“Closers were doing well. When we entered we knew that those two would probably set the race up pretty nice for us, if we were good enough,” Nixon said. “You look at their resumes and they're both very talented fillies and very quick fillies. We thought if we could draft in behind them and get a piece, that'd be great.

“The trip worked out well. Horacio, he just rides her perfect. He lets her settle and make that one run and yesterday a lot of little things all came together for her,” he added. “Very happy for the Seltzers and just thrilled to have the filly. I've been at Laurel on and off since 2003 so that's special, too, to win the big race here.”

Nixon said no decision has been made on the next step for Hibiscus Punch, who emerged from the Fritchie in good order. Nixon captured Sunday's opener at Laurel with the Seltzer-owned Lucre ($11.80).

“Everybody's good. We came out in good order and she's doing well. She's a nice filly,” Nixon said. “Right now we're just go into enjoy the victory. Mr. Seltzer and I will talk and I'm sure he's got some ideas. Whatever he thinks is best, that's what we'll do. Right now we haven't looked at it too, too hard but we'll flip through the stakes books and what have you and see where we go.”

Hello Beautiful, riding a three-stakes win streak, dueled with Dontletsweetfoolya up front for a half-mile before finishing fifth as the 2-5 favorite in the Fritchie. Starting this year, horses competing in graded-stakes in Maryland are not allowed to be treated with Lasix within 48 hours of post time.

“When she was empty at the quarter pole, I knew something went wrong. It's ok. We learned something. She won't ever walk over there without Lasix again,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “We're going to freshen her up for a couple weeks.”

Russell said Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful will get some time off with Bruce Jackson at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. She had been a perfect 7-0 racing over Laurel's main track.

“She'll just have a little 'R and R,'” she said. “She won't lose much and we'll get her back in here and kick on with her.”

Meanwhile, Russell said Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu was doing well out of his four-length score in the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds. It was the first stakes win for the gelded son of Grade 1 winner Bullsbay, a narrow second choice to multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion.

“What a man. He showed up. He appeared to take that step that I said we were hoping to see eventually,” Russell said. “He's just a neat horse. He's walking around the barn this morning like it wasn't a hard effort for him or anything. That's what you like to see.”

The $100,000 Private Terms, contested at about 1 1/16 miles, is the next step for sophomores on Laurel's stakes program, scheduled for March 13. The one-mile Miracle Wood was the furthest test to date for Maythehorsebwithu.

“It's going to be up to him. If he needs to skip the next one, I believe he's probably worth it, if that's what he's telling us. But if he's touting himself and acts like he needs to run again, I guess three weeks isn't a big deal if the horse is doing well,” Russell said. “We'll just let him tell us. If we have to skip it, it's no big deal either.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya had won five consecutive races including back-to-back stakes entering the Fritchie, which marked her 4-year-old and graded-stakes debut. She wound up seventh, just the second time in nine career starts where she didn't hit the board.

“As the day progressed, I would probably say our confidence wasn't high with the way the track was playing,” trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “She was there, she got a little tired, she got headed. This racetrack was extremely tiring. I don't think the lack of Lasix affected her. She runs with very little, so I don't think that was an excuse for her. She came back fine. Unfortunately, horses get beat. You can't win forever. Do I wish that he could have finished a little better? Absolutely. But, we're happy that she came back happy and healthy and we'll just go back to the drawing board and find another spot.”

Gaudet and Five Hellions also saw Fraudulent Charge rally to be second by a length to Street Lute in the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies. It was the sixth stakes win in eight starts for Street Lute and second straight over Fraudulent Charge, who came within a nose in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking at Laurel.

“She ran huge. We could not be disappointed in that. We want her to go further,” Gaudet said. “Everybody thought that it was a fluke last time, the way that she ran, because it was a four-horse field and had everything kind of go her way. I was just really happy to see her run back to that. She's going to be a fun filly.”

Free Nominations For Five Stakes March 13, Including $100,000 Private Terms
Free nominations close Saturday, Feb. 27 for five stakes worth a total of $450,000 to be run at Laurel March 13.

The open stakes are the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds at 1 1 /16 mile, the $100,000 Beyond The Wire for 3-year-old fillies at a mile, and the $100,000 Harrison Johnson Memorial for older horses at 1 1/8 mile. The stakes also include the $75,000 Not For Love at six furlongs for Maryland bred and sired horses, and the $75,000 The Conniver Stakes for Maryland bred or sired fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

For more information contact Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Trish Bowman at 800.638.1859 and Trish.Bowman@marylandracing.com.

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The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th edition of the $250,000 General George (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs, co-headlined a Winter Sprintfest program of six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

Originally scheduled for Feb. 13, Winter Sprintfest was pushed back a week after winter storms passed through the Mid-Atlantic region. Hibiscus Punch ($85.60) was making her graded-stakes debut off an entry-level allowance triumph Jan. 17 at Laurel going six furlongs.

“We just tried not to overdo it with her. She was coming back a bit quick,” winning trainer Justin Nixon said. “She was coming back in three weeks in the a-other-than and I think the extra week might have helped us.”

Jockey Horacio Karamanos, aboard for each of Hibiscus Punch's last three starts, earned his third career Barbara Fritchie victory following Lady Sabelia in 2015 and High Ridge Road in 2017.

“I felt like I can win this race because I talked to Justin Nixon when I breezed her last time. She breezed really easy and I told him this filly is good,” Karamanos said. “Last time when we won, I said, 'She's got them,' so I felt very confident. When I sat behind them and I asked her, she came running.

“I see the speed going, the two fillies to beat in front of me. I sat right behind them,” he added. “I had plenty of horse. In the middle of the turn, at the quarter pole, my filly went on her own.”

Hello Beautiful, a five-time stakes winner including each of her last three starts, and Dontletsweetfoolya, a winner of five consecutive races capped by back-to-back stakes, battled on the front end with Dontletsweetfoolya holding a short advantage after a quarter-mile in 22.75 seconds before Hello Beautiful went the half in 45.31 to nudge in front.

Meanwhile, Karamanos had Hibiscus Punch in striking position racing third when he ranged up on the leaders midway around the turn. The 6-year-old Into Mischief mare surged past and kept going, opening up to win by 2 ½ lengths after completing the distance in 1:23.16 over a fast main track.

Estilo Talentoso came running late down the center of the track to get second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of Club Car. Mutliple stakes winner Needs Supervision rallied to edge 2-5 favorite Hello Beautiful by a neck for fourth. Grade 3 winner Sharp Starr was fifth, followed by Dontletsweetfoolya and Suggestive Honor.

“I thought we were in pretty good shape, especially at the three-eighths pole. It looked like she was moving forward pretty well. Horacio gave her a great ride to settle her in and from there it was just good times,” Nixon said.

“He suits her to a 'T.' He knows her very well. He won on her in the a-other-than and he came and breezed her last week before all the storms and she breezed dynamite,” he added. “He was very happy and he said seven-eighths wouldn't be a problem for her.”

Now based at Laurel Park, Hibiscus Punch was making just her eighth career start in the Barbara Fritchie. She made her first four starts in 2019 over the grass and all-weather surfaces at Woodbine, debuting for Nixon off nearly a year layoff last November at Laurel.

Second to Dontletsweetfoolya in the six-furlong Willa On the Move, Hibiscus Punch came back to win her allowance by three lengths.

“We'll have to talk with Mr. Seltzer and Beverly [about what's next] and whatever they decide, we're thrilled,” Nixon said. “They're so patient and they're such great people to train for. Really it was their doing, this filly.”

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The entire nine-race program featuring six stakes, two graded, worth $900,000 in purses will be run Saturday, Feb. 20. Co-headlining the card are the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) for females and $250,000 General George (G3).

Barry Schwartz's Grade 3-winning homebred Sharp Starr, based at Belmont Park with trainer Horacio DePaz, was one of two horses that shipped to Maryland for the Fritchie, which attracted a field of eight including Laurel-based multiple stakes winners Hello Beautiful, the 8-5 program favorite, and Dontletsweetfoolya.

“The only way it affects us, and it's in a positive way, is the filly has more time to settle in,” trainer Horacio DePaz said. “I'm just going to leave her here at Laurel and train from here and go into the race. It's all good on that part.”

Sharp Starr, winner of the Go for Wand (G3) Dec. 5 at Aqueduct, exits a bullet half-mile work in 47 seconds Feb. 6, the fastest of 140 horses over Belmont's training track. She drew the rail in the Fritchie and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line for DePaz, the former private trainer for Sagamore Farm who maintains a string at Pimlico Race Course.

“She had a huge work coming into it and she's been doing good and settled in for the most part pretty good,” DePaz said. “It just gives us more time. She's eating well, so hopefully we'll get some nice days to train. We'll see what happens.”

R.A. Hill Stable's 2020 Bold Ruler (G3) winner Majestic Dunhill made the trip from Palm Beach Downs in South Florida to Maryland, where the 6-year-old gelding drew Post 4 in a field of 10 for the General George that included fellow graded winners Laki and Share the Ride and multiple stakes winners Lebda and Funny Guy, the 9-5 program favorite based in New York.

“Whenever you're pointing for a race, particularly a stakes race, you put your horse on a schedule and have a very deliberate plan, and then something like this happens with the weather,” Majestic Dunhill trainer George Weaver said. “All the other horses have to deal with it, too. It is what it is.”

Majestic Dunhill shipped in to win the 2018 City of Laurel, run second in the 2019 General George and third in the 2017 Laurel Futurity on turf and 2019 Polynesian.

“I'm just going to leave him there and train him over the phone, and hopefully he does OK,” he added. “We know he likes it at Laurel.”

So, too, does Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion, whose four wins from seven career starts include the Jamestown on turf and the Maryland Million Nursery and Spectacular Bid on dirt, the latter Jan. 16. The son of Great Notion is the 5-2 second choice among seven in the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds going one mile.

“You know in this business, you're calling audibles every day. So, we'll have to see how the weather and the track is the next couple days and then I'll decide what I need to do with him. Hopefully we can get something done with him before Saturday,” trainer Dale Capuano said. “The extra time won't hurt him.”

Capuano also entered Mopo Racing's 5-year-old gelding Dixie Drawl in the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up at about 1 1/16 miles. Dixie Drawl is third choice in the program at 9-2.

“I don't think the extra time is going to bother him, either,” Capuano said. “I was going to scratch him anyway with the track coming up sloppy so, for him, it worked out just as well. It's another chance for a fast track for him. We'll see.”

The son of late trainer Phil Capuano whose younger brother, Gary, is also a Laurel-based trainer, Dale Capuano has won 3,530 races and more than $63 million in purse earnings since 1981, and is the all-time leading trainer in Maryland Million history with 13 wins.

“It was bad timing, but we'll see what happens next week,” he said. “You never know what you're gonna get.”

Laurel is scheduled to host a special Presidents Day holiday program Monday, Feb. 15, offering carryovers of $3,531.94 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9) and $1,386.50 in the $1 Super Hi-5 (Race 2). First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

Monday's card includes a 5 ½-furlong allowance for Maryland-bred/sired horses in Race 7 that includes narrow 3-1 program favorite Nightlife and 2020 Wide Country winner Naughty Thoughts, and a third-level optional claiming allowance for older horses in Race 8 where Grade 3 winner Always Sunshine is favored at 2-1 off a Jan. 24 victory – his first start in 541 days.

John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer, sent off as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight, rallied from last to first for a neck victory over Javanica in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby Feb. 13 at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by Michael McCarthy and second in the American Pharoah (G1) last fall at Santa Anita, the bay Twirling Candy colt earned an automatic berth to the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico.

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With a winter storm advisory issued through 7 a.m. Sunday and the area receiving a mix of freezing rain, ice and snow, Maryland Jockey Club officials chose to transfer the entire nine-race program out of safety for the horses and horsemen.

The MJC's off-track betting sites will remain open for simulcasting.

In addition to the Barbara Fritchie and General George for older sprinters, the Winter Sprintfest program includes the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies and the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up and $100,000 Nellie Morse for older females at about 1 1/16 miles.

There is a nine-race card scheduled for Sunday and a special nine-race Presidents Day holiday program on tap Monday, Feb. 15.

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 The 69^th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45^th edition of the $250,000 General's Stake (G3), formerly the General George, for 4-year-olds and up highlight a Winter Sprintfest program of six stakes worth $900,000 in purses. Both graded races are contested at seven furlongs.

 Also on tap are the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds going one mile and $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs, and the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up and $100,000 Nellie Morse for females 4 and older, each going about 1 1/16 miles.

Post time for the first of nine races is 12:25 p.m. The Fritchie will go off as Race 7 with a post time of 3:23 p.m.

A graded win would fill an important blank on an otherwise stellar ledger for Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful, a Maryland-bred daughter of Golden Lad that has won five career stakes and takes a three-race win streak into the richest and most prestigious event of the winter meet.

“For my first graded win to be Hello Beautiful would just be perfect. She's just done so much for us and we've had so much fun with her,” Russell said. “She deserves it. She's good at Laurel. We don't know how good she is outside of Laurel, but it would just mean so much for all of us.

“The idea of being based in Maryland and making this our home and the Fritchie being such a big race, it'd just be a really big thing if our big mare that's done so much for us could keep doing that,” she added.

\Sporting a perfect 7-0 record over Laurel's main track, Hello Beautiful is three-for-four at seven furlongs including wins in the Maryland Million Nursery and Safely Kept last fall to cap her sophomore campaign. In her only previous graded attempt, she ran sixth in the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga behind Frank's Rockette, an Eclipse Award finalist for 2020's champion female sprinter.

\Hello Beautiful opened 2021 with a front-running triumph in the six-furlong What a Summer Jan. 16 at Laurel, her first start in seven weeks, opening up by four lengths in the stretch and repelling a late challenge from Club Car to win by a length. She tuned up for the Fritchie with a half-mile work in 47.60 seconds Feb. 6, second-fastest of 89 horses.

“She's fantastic,” Russell said. “She's great right now so hopefully she has a good rest of the week and runs her race on Saturday.”

Hello Beautiful will go after her eighth career win from outside Post 8 under her regular rider, Russell's husband, Sheldon Russell. Purchased by the trainer for just $6,500 out of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic December 2018 mixed sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Hello Beautiful owns a 7-2-1 record from 13 starts with $377,110 in purse earnings.

“It appears to be a great spot, post-position wise. Hopefully it's the lucky number eight and it works out where she can just have the catbird's seat,” Brittany Russell said. “As always we'll leave it up to Sheldon. From there he can dictate where he wants to put her.”

A highly competitive Fritchie field will feature a matchup of Hello Beautiful and Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya, also based at Laurel with trainer Lacey Gaudet. By Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty, Dontletsweetfoolya enters her season and graded debut on a five-race win streak including back-to-back stakes at Laurel.

“She has done very well. These owners are fantastic. They want to find the easiest spot at all costs,” Gaudet said. “The filly has been a little difficult as far as staying unsettled so we have opted to not ship. The only place she has ever shipped to run is Pimlico and it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it wasn't the prettiest day.

“A lot has been about settling her and also kind of staying away from Hello Beautiful,” she added. “We've tried to map out a plan to keep her in winning form. We've said that as long as she dots all those I's and crosses all those t's this was going to be the goal and we figured this is where we were going to meet Hello Beautiful.”

Dontletsweetfoolya went winless at two, breaking her maiden on her fourth try last summer at Laurel and dominating her foes since, all in front-running fashion, by 28 ¼ combined lengths. She became a stakes winner on her first try in the Nov. 28 Primonetta, and followed with a score in the Dec. 26 Willa On the Move, both going six furlongs.

“We knew that she could run back a little bit quick on the turnback and run back to back in those stakes. It worked out really, really well,” Gaudet said. “She was a little tired after the last stake and we were perfectly fine with that because we said that's exactly what we wanted – to get this one out of the way and then rest her into the Barbara Fritchie.”

Dontletsweetfoolya won her only previous attempt at seven furlongs, an open, entry-level allowance last September by 8 ¾ lengths. Jevian Toledo will be aboard for the sixth straight race, breaking from Post 3. All horses will carry 120 pounds.

“I did say a couple starts ago that we were ready for her, and our filly has turned back everybody except for her so it's time to let these two face each other,” Gaudet said. “It's going to be tough because they're both speedballs. I think the draw is going to be the biggest tell tale of what's going to happen. Hopefully one of these two is the best. I hope we don't kind of run each other out and set it up for somebody else because it would be really thrilling to see our two take it to the end.”

Barry Schwartz's homebred filly Sharp Starr brings graded credentials to the Fritchie, having captured the one-mile Go for Wand (G3) by a neck Dec. 5 in the Aqueduct mud to end her 3-year-old season. She comes in from the Belmont Park barn of Horacio DePaz, the former private trainer for Maryland's Sagamore Farm.

“It would be special to be able to come back and win a race like this, especially with a filly like her,” DePaz said. “We developed her as a 2-year-old and she's kind of taken us to Saratoga and stuff and competed very well in New York. It's nice when you can develop one like this.”

Sharp Starr, a New York-bred daughter of graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings, began her 4-year-old campaign in the seven-furlong La Verdad Jan. 3 at Aqueduct, also over an off track, where she ran second throughout and finished a length behind winner Mrs. Orb. She was also second in her only other try at the Fritchie distance, a maiden special weight for state-breds last February at Aqueduct.

Overall, Sharp Starr has been worse than third just twice in 10 career starts, with three wins. She was eighth in a mid-June maiden race, her first start in nearly four months due to coronavirus shutdowns across the country, and she ran seventh in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) in October at Pimlico after being bumped at the start.

“The [maiden race] was going three-quarters and we basically gave her the race because I thought it was better to give her the race and give her experience versus just keep training to try and go into a longer race,” DePaz said. “The Black-Eyed Susan, obviously, was deeper waters, open company. At least this time … it'll be around one turn which it seems like she does very well. We'll see how she stacks up against those types of horses.”

Alex Cintron gets the riding assignment from Post 1 on Sharp Starr, making her Laurel debut.

Another multiple stakes winner entered in the Fritchie is Howling Pigeon Farms, Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Madaket Stables' Needs Supervision. Based at Laurel with trainer Jerry O'Dwyer, the 5-year-old Paynter mare has gone winless in seven starts, all in stakes, since the November 2019 Safely Kept over her home track.

Needs Supervision is the only returnee from last year's Fritchie, when she ran fourth, beaten four lengths by Majestic Reason. Most recently second in the seven-furlong Interborough Jan. 18 at Aqueduct, she drew Post 7.

Completing the field are Estilio Talentoso, gate-to-wire winner of the one-mile Escena last August at Gulfstream Park; Willa On the Move runner-up Hibiscus Punch, a three-length open allowance winner Jan. 17 at Laurel sprinting six furlongs; Club Car, second in the What a Summer and fourth in the Willa On the Move in her most recent starts; and Suggestive Honor, Group 2-placed in her native Argentina last winter but off the board in the Primonetta and Willa On the Move.

The post Russell Seeking First Graded Win With Hello Beautiful appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“Goat racing?” Howard, played by actor Jeff Bridges, asks.

“Oh, no. Just trying to calm him down a little,” fellow Academy Award winner Chris Cooper, playing Smith, answers. “The smart ones, they hate being alone all the time. Sometimes, another animal just soothes them a bit.”

Moments later, the goat is seen exiting Seabiscuit's stall in mid-air before landing and scampering past an astonished Smith, standing with his mouth open and hands on his hips. Ultimately, Smith brings in a pony to keep Seabiscuit company, and the rest is cinematic history.

Trainer Lacey Gaudet hasn't had any such trouble since Doris, a 7-month-old baby goat, or kid, joined her Laurel Park barn in mid-January. Doris has been nothing but a positive influence for the entire stable, in particular the occasionally high-strung, multiple stakes-winning filly Dontletsweetfoolya, who is scheduled to make her 4-year-old debut in the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 13.

“She's become the barn mascot,” Gaudet said. “Everybody loves her.”

Especially Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya, who has reeled off five consecutive wins by 28 ¾ combined lengths including the Primonetta and Willa On the Move stakes at Laurel to cap her sophomore season, the latter on the day after Christmas.

“She since has added a goat to her stall, which we wavered back and forth on doing for a long, long time. It just happened that one of our neighbors got two little goats and they needed a spot for one,” Gaudet said. “It's been a fantastic experiment.

“She loves the goat, and the goat loves her. My rider swears that it has changed her in the mornings,” she added. “I definitely see a bit of a change in her through her daily routine. I guess we'll find out next Saturday if it has helped her much.”

Though having animals around the barn with the horses is nothing new to racing it is a first for Team Gaudet. The late Eddie Gaudet won more than 1,700 career races and was the patriarch of one of Maryland's best known and respected racing families. His wife, Linda, and oldest daughter have done the training since 2011.

“There's a lot of barns out there that have goats. Everybody does this from time to time, but this is our first time. My dad and my mom never had goats in the barn,” Lacey Gaudet said. “She is the tiniest little thing. She is not even as big as my Jack Russell. She is a tiny goat, but she has been great to have in the barn.

“Everybody loves her,” she added. “She's so quiet. She doesn't make any noise. We'll just walk by at any point in the day and she'll be sleeping between this filly's legs or the filly will be laying down and the goat is between her legs.”

Dontletsweetfoolya had her third and final breeze for the Fritchie Feb. 6, going a half-mile in 48 seconds in company with newly turned 3-year-old filly Fraudulent Charge, runner-up to multiple stakes winner Street Lute in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking who is pointing for a rematch in the $100,000 Wide Country, part of the Winter Sprintfest program of six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

“She hasn't missed a beat. Her works have been fantastic,” Gaudet said. “She's just so push-button, where before she was always full speed ahead and we could not slow her down. She was a little rank. We would always try to settle her, to no avail. She's really gotten to the point where if we want her to work in 51 [seconds], she'll work in 51. If we want her to work in 48, she'll work in 48.

“Each work off of that last race was fantastic. Each was a little bit faster and it was definitely under control,” she added. “She's doing very well, so we're looking forward to it.”

Approaching her 200th career victory, Gaudet is chasing her first graded-stakes win in the Fritchie. Her most recent attempt came with long shot Charles Town Oaks (G3) runner-up Chauncey in 2018.

“It's fantastic. The last time we ran in a graded-stake my horse was [42-1] and she ran second and got beat a [neck],” she said. “It's fun to point toward this race and I think we actually have a chance.”

Among the horses Dontletsweetfoolya is expected to face are fellow multiple stakes winners Hello Beautiful, herself on a three-race win streak, and Needs Supervision; Sharp Starr and Victim of Love, both Grade 3 winners in New York last year.

“It's funny because last time when she won the stake … people were like, 'Oh, you're going to have to face Hello Beautiful now,'” Gaudet said. “I think everybody in Maryland, especially the people on the backside, and everyone that has seen these two fillies flourish, I think they're all really looking forward to these two coming together. And, we are too.”

The post No ‘Kid’ding: Dontletsweetfoolya More Settled Alongside Goat Friend Entering Barbara Fritchie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th renewal of the $250,000 General's Stake (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, formerly the General George, highlight a Winter Sprintfest program offering six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful was timed in 47.60 seconds, second-fastest of 68 horses at the distance. Jockey Sheldon Russell was aboard for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell.

Hello Beautiful owns five career stakes wins including three straight entering the Fritchie, the most recent coming in the six-furlong What a Summer Jan. 16 in her 4-year-old debut.

“She worked fantastic. We were absolutely pleased with her. Sheldon loved her, and she seems like she's ready to go,” Brittany Russell said. “You walk them over hoping they're doing as well as she is right now and you have to leave it up to them from there. We're giving her every opportunity to run a big one.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya takes a five-race win streak into the Fritchie, which open her 4-year-old campaign. The Stay Thirsty filly ended 2020 with victories in the Nov. 28 Primonetta and Dec. 26 Willa On the Move, both going six furlongs at Laurel.

With regular rider Jevian Toledo up, Dontletsweetfoolya worked four furlongs in 48 seconds, ranking fifth. She went in company with newly turned 3-year-old filly Fraudulent Charge (48.20), who is being pointed to the $100,000 Wide Country on the Fritchie undercard.

“The work went very well. They got them in 48 and galloped out in a minute, so it was perfect, exactly what we wanted,” trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “I don't tell [Toledo] anything. Even the work this morning, they were all laughing at me because I was like, 'Don't go too fast, don't go too slow,' but when I walked up with him I said, 'You know how to work her,' and that's what he did. They did their thing.”

Also working Saturday for the Fritchie were Willa On the Move runner-up Hibiscus Punch, five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Laurel; and 2020 Go for Wand (G3) winner Sharp Starr, a half-mile in a bullet 47 seconds over Belmont Park's training track, the fastest of 140 horses.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, whose six career stakes include the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) last fall at Pimlico Race Course, blazed four furlongs in a bullet 47.60 seconds Saturday at Laurel with jockey Horacio Karamanos in preparation for the General. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, Laki has won at least one stake every year since 2017.

“He worked well. We usually don't ask him for much in the morning. He was just ready to roll,” Dilodovico said. “He's training well. We got a really nice breeze out of him today and he cooled out well, so we'll see how he is the next couple days.”

Other horses nominated to the General breezing at Laurel Saturday were multiple stakes winner Lebda, four furlongs in 47.60 seconds, ranking second, and 2019 Remsen (G3) winner Shotski, a half-mile in 48 seconds.

Also prominent on Saturday's Laurel work tab were multiple stakes winners Kenny Had a Notion (six furlongs, 1:14.40) for the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds; Street Lute (five furlongs, 59.60 seconds) for the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies, the latter the fastest of 32 horses; and Cordmaker (five furlongs, 1:01) for the $100,000 John B. Campbell at about 1 1/16 miles for 4-year-olds and up.

Notes: Alexander Crispin, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2020, registered a hat trick Saturday aboard Bring Me Answers ($4) in Race 2, Keepyourstakeson ($3.20) in Race 6 and Bananas On Fire ($6.60) in Race 9. Jockey Xavier Perez also doubled with Indian Lake ($5.40) in Race 1 and Seany P ($13.20) via disqualification in Race 8 … No one selected all six winners in the 20-cent Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $1,559.76 for Sunday. Tickets with five of six winners were each worth $158.06.

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The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th renewal of the $250,000 General's Stake (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, formerly the General George, highlight a Winter Sprintfest program offering six stakes worth $900,000 in purses. Both graded-stakes are contested at seven furlongs.

Eres Tu captured the 1 1/8-mile Allaire du Pont (G3) Dec. 26, her second straight stakes win at Laurel for trainer Arnaud Delacour. Pacific Gale snapped a 17-race losing streak with a 16-1 upset of the seven-furlong Inside Information (G2) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Sharp Starr, trained by Horacio DePaz, won the one-mile Go for Wand (G3) Dec. 5 at Aqueduct over fellow Fritchie nominee Portal Creek to cap her 3-year-old season, and opened 2021 running second in the seven-furlong La Verdad Jan. 3. Victim of Love is a two-time winner at Laurel including the What a Summer last January. Second in last year's Fritchie, she went on to capture the 6 ½-furlong Vagrancy (G3) at Belmont Park.

Hello Beautiful owns five career stakes wins but is seeking her first graded triumph. The 4-year-old filly has strung together three straight wins for trainer Brittany Russell, all in stakes; is 7-0 on the Laurel dirt with three of those wins coming at seven furlongs; and exits a popular triumph in the Jan. 16 What a Summer. Dontletsweetfoolya, yet to run in 2021, has won five consecutive races by 28 ¾ combined lengths including the Nov. 28 Primonetta and Dec. 26 Willa On the Move at Laurel.

Always Sunshine, who returned from a 541-day layoff to win a Jan. 24 optional claiming allowance at Laurel, and fellow graded-stakes winners Laki, Majestic Dunhill. Mischevious Alex, Share the Ride, Shotski and Sunny Ridge are among 30 horses nominated to the General's Stake.

Trained by Edward T. 'Ned' Allard, Always Sunshine won the 2015 Fire Plug at Laurel and 2016 Maryland Sprint (G3) at Pimlico Race Course, where he is currently in training. Laki won the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) last October at Pimlico and has since run behind Whereshetoldmetogo in the Frank Whiteley and Dave's Friend and Wendell Fong in the Jan. 16 Fire Plug. Both Whereshetoldmetogo and Wendell Fong are also nominated.

Majestic Dunhill won the 2018 City of Laurel and became a graded winner in the 2020 Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont. After finishing off the board in the 2019 Laurel Futurity, his only career try on turf, Mischevious Alex reeled off three consecutive stakes wins including the Swale (G2) and Gotham (G3) to open 2020. Share the Ride won the 2020 Fall Highweight (G3), was beaten a neck by Wendell Fong in the Fire Plug, then came back to be third as the favorite in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3) Jan. 30 at Aqueduct.

Shotski broke his maiden at Laurel Park in October 2019 for trainer Jerry O'Dwyer then won the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) to cap his juvenile season and ran second in the Withers (G3) and fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) last winter before going to the sidelines, returning in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Jan. 15 at Aqueduct. Sunny Ridge, stablemate of Pacific Gale, won the 2019 Richard Small at Laurel and has not raced since finishing third by a head in the 2020 Toboggan last January.

Also among the nominees are multiple stakes winners Cordmaker, third in the 2019 and 2020 Pimlico Special (G3); Funny Guy and Lebda, and Tattooed, an upset neck winner of the one-mile Jennings Jan. 16 at Laurel.

Sophomores will be in the spotlight in the $100,000 Miracle Wood going one mile and the $100,000 Wide Country for fillies sprinting seven furlongs. Multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion; 2020 Nashua (G3) winner Pickin' Time; Shackqueenking, Ain't Da Beer Cold and Erawan, respectively 1-2-3 in the Howard County Dec. 26 at Laurel; multiple stakes-placed Maythehorsebwithu and stablemate Hello Hot Rod, a winner of two straight are prominent among 24 Miracle Wood nominees.

Five-time stakes winner Street Lute, on a four-race win streak and a neck shy of being undefeated through seven career starts, tops 25 nominations to the Wide Country. She is joined by fellow stakes winners Gulf Coast and Miss Leslie; Fraudulent Charge, beaten a nose when second in the seven-furlong Gin Talking Dec. 26 at Laurel; and Little Huntress, a 14-length maiden special weight winner Dec. 27 at Laurel.

Older horses will travel about 1 1/16 miles in the $100,000 John B. Campbell, where Cordmaker, Shotski and Tattooed join multiple stakes winner and defending champion Alwaysmining among 24 nominees, and the $100,000 Nellie Morse for females, whose 18 nominations include Eres Tu and stakes winners Artful Splatter, Estilo Talentoso, Gibberish, Lucky Move, Lucky Stride, Pat's No Fool, Queen Nekia, Saguaro Row, Thankful and Wicked Awesome.

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The 35th running of the What a Summer for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 25th edition of the Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting six furlongs, were among six stakes worth $550,000 in purses on a Winter Carnival program that opened Maryland's 2021 stakes calendar.

It was the fifth career stakes victory for Hello Beautiful ($2.40), third in a row and third of the day for jockey Sheldon Russell, following Gale in the $75,000 Geisha and Wendell Fong in the $100,000 Fire Plug. The winning time was 1:10.67 over a main track rated good.

Russell's wife, trainer Brittany Russell, and the connections are hoping to use the What a Summer as a stepping-stone to the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3), contested at seven furlongs Feb. 13 at Laurel.

“To be fair, I think she's better going seven-eighths,” Sheldon Russell said. “So, she has options. She showed us last time I rode her that she can rate. Hopefully she can keep progressing and we can have some fun with her this year.”

Breaking from Post 3 in a field of eighth as the 1-5 favorite, Hello Beautiful was quickly on the lead and kept busy through a quarter-mile in 22.22 seconds and a half in 45.54 by 10-time winner Malibu Mischief, who moved within a half-length on the turn as their rivals lagged behind.

“It almost seems like in the races she runs in now there's always one or two [horses] that have a lot of speed, but me and Brittany sit down the night before every time she runs and people forget, our filly's fast, too,” Sheldon Russell said. “She's extremely fast out of the gate and coming into the race she was very fresh and she was doing well.”

Maryland-bred Hello Beautiful, by Golden Lad, opened up again with little urging from Russell to take a four-length advantage into the stretch and was never threatened while geared down as 10-1 long shot Club Car closed for second.

“I always ride her the same way. I bounce her out of there and if somebody wants to get crazy or get me outrun, I'll have to go to Plan B. But, she's free-rolling filly so I just jump out and leave her alone,” Russell said. “She gets comfortable in front and she's very easy to ride. A great job to Brittany and her team. I'm just very happy she won again for us.”

Club Car, fourth in the Willa On the Move Dec. 26 at Laurel, was 8 ½ lengths ahead of 23-1 long shot Bridlewood Cat in third. They were followed by Escapade, Malibu Mischief, Tarawa, New York Groove and Cause I'm Edgy.

Hello Beautiful improved to 7-0 lifetime at Laurel, including stakes wins at 2 in the Maryland Million Lassie and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship, and 3 in the Maryland Million Distaff and Safely Kept, the latter two to cap her 2020 campaign.

Now 7-for-13 lifetime with earnings approaching $400,000, Hello Beautiful was sixth behind Frank's Rockette in her only previous graded-stakes attempt, the six-furlong Prioress (G2) last September at Saratoga.

The What a Summer honors the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter of 1977, bred in Maryland and a winner of 18 of 31 lifetime starts. Trained by the late Bud Delp and Leroy Jolley, both Hall of Famers, she won nine stakes including the Fall Highweight Handicap and Silver Spoon Handicap twice, and the Black-Eyed Susan.

Wendell Fong Gives Lynch First Winner in $100,000 Fire Plug
Gold Square's Wendell Fong came with a steady run on the far outside to run down Grade 3 winner Share the Ride approaching the wire and give trainer Natalia Lynch her first career victory in the $100,000 Fire Plug.

Wendell Fong ($15.80) ran six furlongs in 1:10.01 over a main track rated good to earn his second career stakes victory and second of the day for jockey Sheldon Russell following Gale in the $75,000 Geisha. Lynch had gone winless in her first 16 starts as a trainer dating back to last summer.

“It was me and my mom and my son watching it at home and we were screaming and crying. It was amazing,” Lynch said by phone. “I think it's been holding off until this horse. I really think it was. He just means more to me than the world. To have it with him, I'll never forget it.”

Lynch, 26 is a native of Maryland who began galloping horses while attending Walter Johnson High School in Montgomery County. She has a long association with Wendell Fong going back to when she was working as an assistant to trainer Jeremiah Englehart, overseeing his Laurel string. Lynch helped prepare the now 5-year-old son of Flat Out for his debut, which he won in the final month of 2018, as well as his lone prior stakes victory in the 2019 Gold Fever at Belmont Park.

After getting a class break in his last two starts, Wendell Fong returned to stakes company and rewarded Lynch's devotion and dedication. Lynch was winless with four seconds from 16 starters since going out on her own last summer; Wendell Fong was No. 17.

“I had spoken to Talie last night and she pretty much said to just sort of leave him alone, sort of don't send him and don't take him back,” Russell said. “He's a professional horse. Drawing from the inside I didn't really have any options but to stay quiet, and to be fair I actually clipped heels so he took a little stumble and I was probably a little further back than I wanted to be. What a cool horse to ride. He was ready today. Great job to Talie and her team. I'm very happy to get Talie her first win as a trainer.”

Breaking from the rail inside his six rivals, Wendell Fong clipped heels with 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) winner Laki shortly out of the gate and trailed the field as Maryland Million Sprint winner Karan's Notion and multiple stakes winner Lebda alternated through fractions of 22.17 and 45.24 seconds. Wendell Fong began gaining ground on the turn and was set down once straightened for home, getting up by a neck in the final jump.

“It just felt like they were going really fast early on and he just got so comfortable down the backside. At about the three-eighths pole I was just showing him a little bit of daylight on the outside and he started picking them up,” Russell said. “At the top of the stretch he just jumped on the bridle and was really trying. He was well-prepared today. Great job to Talie and her team.”

Share the Ride was second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Lebda. It was another 2 ¼ lengths back to 2-1 favorite Laki in fourth, followed by Karan's Notion, Arthur's Hope and Penguin Power.

Wendell Fong had not won since the Gold Fever. With Lynch staying home, trainer Brittany Russell saddled the horse. Russell was one of several trainers Lynch worked for before going out on her own.

“It's really cool because I worked for Brittany and Sheldon and I wouldn't have wanted to do it with other people than them. It's just as rewarding that it was with them as well,” Lynch said. “Everyone kept calling me and telling me congratulations, but I'm more happy for him than myself.  He really deserves it. It's good to see his confidence back. It's been a while.”

The Fire Plug is named for the popular gelding that won or placed in 49 of 54 lifetime starts, mostly sprinting, and registered 14 stakes victories including at least one every year from age 3 to 7. He retired in 1991 with 28 wins and $705,175 in purse earnings.

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