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Hisbiscus Punch Rings Bell At $85.60 In Runhappy Barbara Fritchie

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's homebred Hibiscus Punch rolled up to dueling favorites Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya on the far turn and cruised past once straightened for home, sprinting clear for a 41-1 upset in Saturday's $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) at Laurel Park in Maryland.

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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Maythehorsebwithu, Street Lute Score Stakes Victories At Laurel

Maythehorsebwithu, a 3-year-old gelding owned by Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables LLC, led every step of the way Saturday to win the $100,000 Miracle Wood at Laurel Park in Maryland by four lengths while covering a mile in 1:37.02.

Tiz Mandate, who broke last, closed to finish second, just a half-length in front of Spectacular Bid winner Kenny Had a Notion.

The Miracle Wood was one of six stakes run on the afternoon worth $900,000 along with the Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) and General George (G3).

Second last time out in the Spectacular Bid at seven furlongs after rating off Kenny Had a Notion, Maythehorsebwithu, trained by Brittany Russell and ridden by Sheldon Russell, broke sharp and on top in the five-horse field and went an opening quarter in :24.02 and a half in :47.51 while being pressed by Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Subsidize while Kenny Had a Notion raced third. Around the turn, Kenny Had a Notion moved inside Subsidize into second took aim on the leader. But Maythehorsebwithu had plenty left and drove to the finish for his first stakes victory.

“My horse broke very sharp today and he's a forward kind of horse,” Sheldon Russell said. “Last time I sort of broke on Kenny's hip. But the way my guy broke today I had no choice. I was inside Kenny. We didn't have any problems with this horse getting the distance. He trains in the morning like he'll run all day. I'm just glad we got the job done.”

A son of Bullsbay who sold for $55,000 as a yearling, Maythehorsebwithu has won three of seven starts along with three seconds.

Maythehorsebwithu winning the Miracle Wood under Sheldon Russell

“He's the kind of horse in the morning that always trains very forwardly,” Brittany Russell said. “You can't get this horse tired, and he always has big, huge gallop-outs after his breezes, so we were pretty confident that he would appreciate added distance.

“Seeing what happened in the Spectacular Bid in the stretch run, I was confident that if he got the right trip he could definitely get the mile.”

Subsidize, who shipped in from the New York stable of Chad Brown, finished fourth while Newyearsblockparty, second in the Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 16, finished fifth.

Street Lute Makes It Five in a Row in Wide Country
The wins just keep piling up for the impressive Street Lute.

Owned by Lucky 7 Stable and trained by John Robb, Street Lute won her fifth consecutive stakes races and seventh race in eight starts when she moved three-wide at the top of the stretch to win the $100,000 Wide Country by a length over Fraudulent Charge. Salt Plage checked in third.

A daughter of Street Magician ridden by Xavier Perez, Street Lute covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.59.

“From the beginning we all thought she was a very special horse and I think that Jerry's said that in every interview,” said Gina Robb, assistant, and wife of John Robb. “Now with so many stakes under her belt and her performance today, I think she's finally stamped it. Today was definitely a big day and I think it was her toughest company today.”

Breaking alertly from the gate, Perez rated Street Lute in third while Little Huntress was pressed by Whiskey and Rye through brisk fractions of 22:62 and :441.91. But around the turn, Street Lute carried Perez effortlessly to the front and drove away from the competition as Fraudulent Charge closed for the place.

“My concern when I was watching the race was, I said, 'Wow, I don't feel like he's asking her but she's not going anywhere. They must be flying.' So, when I saw the 44 [second half-mile] I said, 'Oh, thank goodness.' Then once he asked her, it was all over,” Gina Robb said. “Able to chase that pace and finish the way she did? That was pretty spectacular.”

“Seven-eighths today, in great fashion. I think it was even better than the day she won the Maryland Juvenile [Filly Championship going] seven-eighths. I think she kind of proved a point today.”

Said Perez: “She likes running after horses up front. I saw Brittany's horse go and we settled in nice. This race set up perfect for us just like Jerry said. I was so confident off the turn we were cruising to the wire.”

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Favored Bankit Takes Road Show To Laurel, Wins John B. Campbell

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's well-traveled Bankit, making his 27th career start but first in Maryland, swept to the lead on the far outside and powered through the stretch to a 1 ¾-length triumph in Saturday's $100,000 John B. Campbell at Laurel Park.

The 67th running of the Campbell for 4-year-olds and up and the 38th edition of the $100,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares 4 and older, both at about 1 1/16 miles, were among six stakes worth $900,000 on a Winter Sprintfest program co-headlined by the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) and $250,000 General George (G3).

Bankit ($5.40), favored at 8-5 against seven rivals, had raced in New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia and Kentucky for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen before arriving at Laurel, where he registered his fourth career stakes victory and second in a row. The winning time was 1:42.07 over a fast main track.

It was the second consecutive stakes win on the card for jockey Sheldon Russell, following Maythehorsebwithu in the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds.

Bankit was unhurried in the early going as Zabracadabra, making his stakes debut, and Deal Driven, third in the Claiming Crown Iron Horse, dueled through fractions of 24.10 and 47.48 seconds, tracked by Dixie Drawl and Galerio, beaten a neck in the Jan. 16 Jennings at Laurel in his previous start.

Russell gave Bankit his cue rounding the far turn and the Central Banker gelding responded willingly, catching up to the leaders at the top of the stretch and opening up once in the clear. Galerio ran well to hold second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of late-running multiple stakes winner Cordmaker.

It was another 1 ¼ lengths back to 18-1 long shot Deal Driven in fourth, followed by Forewarned, Dixie Drawl, Zabracadabra and Awesome D J.

“You can see on the Form he runs better with just a little bit of a stalking trip so I let him break sharp. A couple of the inside horses went, and he got into a good spot going into the first turn,” Russell said. “About the half-mile pole I felt I had a lot of horse. I opted to hang him out there five wide and he just got to running. And I knew at the top of the stretch, he pricked his ears, he's a professional horse to ride.”

Lucky Stride Proves Too Tough in $100,000 Nellie Morse
Sonata Stable's Lucky Stride (by Declaration of War) wrested the lead from 40-1 long shot and fellow multiple stakes winner Artful Splatter at the top of the stretch and went on to a popular 1 ¼-length win over a stubborn Landing Zone in the $100,000 Nellie Morse.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight, Lucky Stride ($3.80) hit the wire in 1:43.38 with Julian Pimentel aboard for trainer Mike Trombetta, who also teamed up to win the 2018 Nellie Morse with In The Navy Now.

Pimentel settled Lucky Stride in third between horses as Flashndynamite, a 12-time career winner, ran the opening quarter-mile in 24.30 seconds and the half in 47.67 pressed by Artful Splatter to his outside. Artful Splatter took over the lead midway around the turn when Pimentel made his move on Lucky Stride followed on his right hip by Lucky Move.

Lucky Stride was set down for the stretch drive once straightened for home, with Landing Zone maneuvering into a challenging spot and persisting to the wire. It was three lengths back to Artful Splatter in third with Lucky Move fourth.

Daphne Moon, Flashndynamite, Wicked Awesome and Pat's No Fool completed the order of finish. Gracetown and Dreamer's Moon were scratched.

“I had a great trip,” Pimentel said. “I was able to be outside the whole time. I spoke with [Trombetta] and he didn't want me too far back but in contention. Last time at Laurel we faced a tough filly. Today we just needed to be in a good place.”

Lucky Stride won the 2019 Clasico Roberto Clemente (G3) and Clasico Dia del Veterano (G2) in Puerto Rico before joining Trombetta last summer, and has raced exclusively in stakes since. She was second to Allaire du Pont (G3) winner Eres Tu in the Thirty Eight Go Go Nov. 28 at Laurel and opened her 5-year-old season by winning the Wayward Lass Jan. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs.

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Trainer Lacey Gaudet Hoping To Add Another Chapter In Family’s Success Story

Carrying the mantle for one of Maryland's best known and respected racing families, trainer Lacey Gaudet has been proud to continue the tradition her late father, Eddie, began in the 1950s.

Saturday, the 33-year-old Gaudet is hoping to add another chapter to the family's legacy and join her father as a graded-stakes winner.

Gaudet will send out Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya in the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) at Laurel Park, co-headliner with the $250,000 General George (G3) on a nine-race Winter Sprintfest program featuring six stakes worth $900,000 in purses. Post time is 12:25 p.m.

One of Eddie Gaudet's three career graded victories came with Star Touch in the 1991 General George, the first year it carried graded status, then Grade 2. He also won the 1985 Anne Arundel Handicap (G3) with Classy Cut and 1994 Garden State (G3) with Alleged Impression.

Overall, Eddie Gaudet won more than 1,700 races before retiring at the end of 2011, passing away at age 87 in January 2018. Two years earlier Gaudet and her mother, Linda, herself a noted horseman, owner and trainer, combined their stables into Team Gaudet with great success.

They turned John Jones, a $25,000 claim in the summer of 2018, into a multiple stakes winner and track record holder at Colonial Downs before he was retired. They broke Double Crown's maiden at Laurel in 2019 before the horse was sold and became a multiple stakes winner and twice graded-stakes placed including runner-up in the 2020 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.

The new stable star is Dontletsweetfoolya, a winner of five consecutive races by 28 ¼ combined lengths, the last two wins coming in stakes – the Nov. 28 Primonetta and Dec. 26 Willa On the Move. By multiple Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty, she will be making her season debut in the Fritchie for Gaudet, four wins shy of 200 for her young career.

“We're going into the race confident and we know that we have a nice filly, and I think that it's just going to be fun from here on out,” she said. “If she wins, great. It's not going to take anything away from her if she gets beat, but to go for six in a row and get a graded stakes under her belt? That would be fantastic.”

The connections remained patient as Dontletsweetfoolya matured from her high-strung juvenile days. She went winless in two starts at 2, and needed two more races before breaking her maiden last July. Following an allowance win at Laurel in September, Gaudet resisted the temptation to step up in a race like the Miss Preakness (G3), part of the rescheduled Preakness Day program in October.

Instead, Dontletsweetfoolya went to Pimlico anyway for an optional claiming allowance two days earlier, overcoming an eventful ship and a troubled start for a three-length triumph that earned her a shot at stakes company.

“She matured a lot as a 3-year-old from her 2-year-old season, and that showed on her form last year. So, hopefully she can start off her 4-year-old season the right way,” Gaudet said. “She's doing everything right. We stayed the course and we went through the races that we hoped to hit and we said that this was going to be our ultimate goal. We're here, she's ready and she's doing great, so it's time to test her.”

Dontletsweetfoolya drew Post 3 in a field of eight and was made the 7-2 third choice on the morning line for the Fritchie behind 8-5 favorite Hello Beautiful and Grade 3 winner Sharp Starr. Hello Beautiful, a five-time stakes winner including each of her last three starts, will break from the far outside.

Gaudet's last graded-stakes attempt came with long shot Chauncey, second by a neck at odds of 42-1 in the 2018 Charles Town Oaks (G3).

“We drew inside of a lot of the speed,” Gaudet said. “The last couple of races I've left it up to [jockey Jevian] Toledo, and she just does whatever he wants her to. So, I think I'm just going to leave it up to him.

“I know Hello Beautiful has a lot of speed. I don't think she's the only one, but I do think that we'll definitely be the pace, the two of us, and we'll see how they fare,” she added. “It takes a little bit of the pressure off, because we know where she's going to be. We're not going to change our tactics in this race.”

Gaudet and Five Hellions will have another stakes starter Saturday, Fraudulent Charge, in the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies. Making her season debut, she is fourth choice of nine at 6-1 behind 2-1 program favorite Street Lute, a winner of four straight stakes and five overall. Fraudulent Charge nearly ended that streak in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking, her late rally coming up a nose short.

“We always liked her, but she definitely ran huge last time. She's matured since then, she's grown since then and she's just going into this race fantastic,” Gaudet said. “I know there's speed. I don't think that she'll be speed, she's kind of a little different from [Street Lute]. [Jockey] Johan [Rosado] says that she's very push-button, so I think that he'll be able to rate her a little bit behind the speed and if she can make that run like she did last time, I think she'll be very dangerous.”

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