Flattering Bea has won six of nine starts at Charles Town. Photo by Coady Photography.
From a Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races release
James Arrison’s Flattering Bea, a familiar face in Charles Town stakes races, will line up in the starting gate against five other fillies and mares in the 7 furlong, $100,000 Pink Ribbon on Saturday night at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. The Pink Ribbon carries the name of the day’s theme as Charles Town holds its seventh Race for the Ribbon program to help raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation’s West Virginia Affiliate.
With victories in six of her nine starts over the Charles Town strip, including a win in the $200,000 Sugar Maple presented by CANTER Mid-Atlantic in 2014, Flattering Bea will be trying to win the Pink Ribbon in her second try, having dropped a decision to Geeky Gorgeous in last year’s rendition.
After rolling up nearly $170,000 in earnings in 2014, Flattering Bea hasn’t been a model of consistency in 2015 with two wins in seven starts but also four finishes off the board. Her most impressive effort may have come in the defense of her Sugar Maple title, when she was worn down late by the Ian Wilkes-trained Taketheodds.
Following a run in the Skipat on Black Eyed Susan day, trainer Crystal Pickett gave her mare two and half months away from the races before resurfacing in the Shine Again up at Saratoga. While she was beaten 16 1/2 lengths, Pickett wasn’t discouraged by Flattering Bea’s performance.
“We expected her to run really well,” said Pickett. “She got trapped down on the inside and he never was able to make a clear run with her, so Kendrick [Carmouche] just let her coast home. Since he didn’t really ask her, we just wheeled her back in the handicap here on the 26th and she responded, obviously.”
The handicap Pickett referenced was the Violet Handicap on August 26 at Charles Town, a race she won by five lengths over, among others, Walk of Stars, whom she will face again in the Pink Ribbon. That race, much like the Sugar Maple and Pink Ribbon, is run at 7 furlongs – a distance Pickett believes Flattering Bea relishes.
“This track, she loves seven-eighths. The other races she’s run in have been three-quarters. If you get in a little trouble, you can recover better going seven-eighths. She got beat a nose in the Miss Preakness going three-quarters. She ran second in the Skipat at Laurel. She ran second going three-quarters at Mountaineer as a 3-year-old. She’s had bad luck, that’s for sure. “
Jose Montano will ride Flattering Bea, who stands at 9-to-2 on the morning line.
While Flattering Bea figures to attract her share of money, the role of favorite may ultimately fall to Checkupfromzneckup, most recently second in the 1 1/16 mile $75,000 Lighthouse at Monmouth Park as the 3-2 favorite. Worse than second just once in her last seven starts, the four-year-old filly by Dixie Union had come into the Lighthouse off wins in an allowance at Aqueduct and optional claiming allowance at Monmouth.
Owned by Michael Dubb in partnership with Bethlehem Stables and Robert Sahn and trained by Kelly Rubley, Checkupfromzneckup, the 2-to-1 morning line favorite, will be ridden by locally based rider Gerald Almodovar in her quest to post the first stakes win of her career.
Second morning line choice Julie’s Jewelry is a perfect 2-for-2 in West Virginia – albeit with both wins coming at Mountaineer Park. Trained by Ben Colebrook, Julie’s Jewelry is no stranger to travel as her foray into Charles Town represents the ninth different track she’ll have started at in her 11 career outings.
After a May 10 win over the Mountaineer turf course, the Dixiana Farms homebred filly by Distorted Humor ventured up to Ellis Park to contest an optional claiming allowance in her last start where she lead at every call before grudgingly giving way and losing by a half-length.
Jose Ortiz, who will be making his first appearance at Charles Town on Saturday, has the call on Julie’s Jewelry.
The field is rounded out by Table Three Ten, third in last year’s Pink Ribbon, Medaglia d’Argento from the George Weaver barn and the aforementioned Walk the Stars, a half-sister to Strike the Moon who won the 2011 Charles Town Oaks, defeating eventual multiple Eclipse Award winner Groupie Doll in the process.
The Pink Ribbon will be run as race 9 on the Race for the Ribbon program on Saturday night and is set to go off at 9:20 P.M. EST.
- Table Three Ten, 4-1
- Walk of Stars, 8-1
- Medaglia d’Argento, 6-1
- Flattering Bea, 9-2
- Checkupfromzneckup, 2-1
- Julie’s Jewelry, 5-1
