Win number eight in Out And Bad’s eighteenth career start shows just how talented this sixteen hands chestnut filly can be, and has a win and a runner-up effort in her two Graded starts this year. Watch for her to match her last year’s efforts of four wins, if not surpassing that mark.

• The Fritchie Stakes ( Gr. III ) Purse $250.000
• Laurel Park – For Fillies And Mares Four Years old and Up
• Seven Furlongs in distance, Main Track

At a track that is known primarily for free racing, the final two pay events here were the running of The General George Stakes and this affair, The Fritchie. Walking away with the $150.000 top prize here in this event, Night Rider Stables Out And Bad didn’t fool any handicappers on the day, as they made this four year old the post time favorite. This event is now her third Graded Stakes victory of her career and we should be looking for her to be able to capture a couple more Graded victories as well. For her trainer, this was also his third Graded title of the year, and has finished 60% in the money in all Graded races this season.

2018 HRP’s two year old filly winner Camp Hollywood ( Estero Farms ) did all she could to sit just back of the pace by three early on, and while making room down the stretch out in the middle of the track, the early speed of the eventual winner left him coming up short by a quarter of a length. This now four year has set the bar for herself, and this should be a wonderful year of success.

Third through sixth was captured in an amazing photo finish, one of the best for this event in thirteen years. Eros ( Smokey Stover ) seemed to come off the turn for home searching first to the outside and then gaining an opening to the inside, and that left her back and challenging her to make up ground going forward, rather then side to side. She would have to share her placing with Steady Sneaks ( John Henry ) who was drafting off the ability of Camp Hollywood and was progressing quickly, but still two lengths shy.

Behind this duo placing in a dead heat for fourth was South Beach Racing’s Unprecedented who was up with the leader early, but was unable to gain any degree of success in the lane. Golden Hour ( D J C Racing Stables ) was held back by rider Lopez until the turn for home, then she too would get to within two lengths and one one-hundreds of a second out of third place.

The final runner of the affair was Maxmillion Farm’s Thalassa who approached this event much like she did the BC Fillies & Mares Sprint event staying near the back, and would finally place less then a half second from the winner.

Duffer

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES