Laurel Park Fritchie day stakes updates
The Biz- February 18, 2023
There are six stakes on the agenda at Laurel Park Saturday, Feb. 18. That list includes two Grade 3 events — the General George for the boys and Barbara Fritchie for the girls — and four other stakes races.
Here are brief snippets on each of the stakes races.
WIDE COUNTRY STAKES
- 3yo fillies, 7 furlongs
- Stonewall Star sped to the front and kept right on going en route to a sharp 11-lengths score in 1:24.33 for seven furlongs on a fast main track… Favored L Street Lady pressed the pace but faded to last… Stonewall Star isn’t likely to stretch much farther than this, trainer Horacio De Paz said, so she doesn’t look likely to get on the Black-Eyed Susan trail… The winner paid $5.60 as the second choice…
- CONNECTIONS: Trainer Horacio De Paz; Jockey Angel Cruz; Owner Barry Schwartz; breeder Stonewall Farm.
MIRACLE WOOD STAKES
- 3yo, 7 furlongs
- Coffeewithchris stalked the pace of Feeling Woozy, took over past the three-sixteenths, and held off favored Prince of Jericho to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:37.54 for a one-turn mile… Prince of Jerico was off at 1-2… Those two have swapped positions, running one-two in three straight local stakes with Coffeewithchris winning two… Coffeewithchris paid $9.40 as the second choice but may not stretch out much further, his trainer said.
- CONNECTIONS: Trainer John Salzman, Jr.; Jockey Jaime Rodriguez; Owners John E. Salzman, Jr., Fred Wasserloos & Anthony Geruso; Breeder Thomas J. Rooney
JOHN B. CAMPELL STAKES
- 4yo and up, 1 1/16 miles
- Nimitz Class led throughout, shrugged off a challenge from Ain’t Da Beer Cold, and had plenty to hold off Ournationonparade for his second consecutive stakes win… The winning margin was 4 1/2 lengths, with Maryland Million Classic winner Ournationonparade another three-plus ahead of Ain’t Da Beer Cold… A Pennsylvania-bred Munnings colt, the four-year-old has won seven of 13 career outings and paid $5.60 to win…
- CONNECTIONS; Trainer Bruce Kravets; Jockey Jevian Toledo; Owner Thomas Coulter; Breeder Arrowwood Farm.
NELLIE MORSE STAKES
- Fillies and mares 4yo and up, 1 1/16 miles
- Hybrid Eclipse rallied from midflight to win by 2 1/4 lengths for her third stakes win in her last six outing… With Sheldon Russell out, Jevian Toledo picked up the mount and got his second stakes win of the afternoon… Award Wanted was along for second… A five-year-old Paynter mare, Hybrid Eclipse has seven career wins and went past $400,000 in earnings with the triumph… She paid $4.60 as the post-time favorite and covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.96…
- CONNECTIONS: Trainer Brittany Russell; Jockey Jevian Toledo; Owner The Elkstone Group LLC; Breeder: Alex Venneri Racing, LLC
GRADE 3 BARBARA FRITCHIE STAKES
- Fillies and mares, 4yo and up, 7 furlongs
- Onetime $16,000 claimer Swayin to and Fro continued her run through the local sprinters with a hard-fought half-length victory over Fille d’Esprit to earn her first graded victory… Richard Monterrey, aboard her for the first time, also earned his first graded victory, and it was the first graded win for trainer Mario Serey, Jr… Swayin to and Fro had thrashed Fille d’Esprit two back in the Willa on The Move, but that rival turned the tables last out in the What A Summer… In today’s contest Swayin to and Fro pressed longshot Liscolvin early before taking over the lead after a half-mile, while Fille d’Esprit encountered traffic trouble rounding the turn and in the lane before finding a seam to run on late… Swayin to and Fro paid $14.40 after getting seven furlongs in 1:23.75…
- CONNECTIONS: Trainer Mario Serey, Jr.; Jockey Richard Monterrey; Owner: Baxter Racing Stable; Breeder: Franklin G. Smith Sr.
GRADE 3 GENERAL GEORGE STAKES
- 4yo and up, 7 furlongs
- In his first start since October, 9-year-old Eastern Bay stalked the pace, grabbed the lead in the lane, and held off the late rally of Yodel E. A. Who to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:23.29 for seven furlongs… The win pushed the Maryland-bred to more than $1 million in earnings, gave trainer Lynn Cash his second graded win, and secured the first graded win for jockey Will Humphrey… Cash claimed Eastern Bay for $35,000 last April… It was Eastern Bay’s first stakes win since 2020 and first career graded win…
- CONNECTIONS: Trainer Norman Lynn Cash; Jockey Will Humphrey; Owner Built Wright Stables, LLC.; Breeder Nancy Lee Farms
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