Apple Picker goes last to first in Barbara Fritchie

LAUREL, MD-- “I love this filly,” trainer Brittany Russell told Daily Racing Form earlier in the week when discussing Apple Picker in the leadup to Laurel Park’s Grade 3, $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

After Apple Picker rallied from last under Sheldon Russell to win Saturday’s Fritchie, Russell has even more affection for the 4-year-old daughter of Connect.

“Just the way she’s been training, she’s a very difficult filly to gallop,” Russell said after the race while giving credit to Apple Picker’s exercise rider. “Something’s gone right the last three weeks. Sheldon said she was better in [today’s] warmup. She’s tough. She’s going to keep going. She’s gritty. It’s okay if she doesn’t get there, but you know she’s going to keep running at them.”

Apple Picker settled at the back of the pack as speedy Disco Ebo dueled inside Beneath the Stars through fractions of 22.83 and 45.32 seconds.

Disco Ebo dispatched Beneath the Stars turning for home but began to shorten stride, tired from her early efforts. Meanwhile, Sheldon Russell adroitly saved all the ground with Apple Picker before easing to the three path at the eighth pole. It was a perfect trip and ride.

From there, it was all Apple Picker, who crossed the wire a length in front of Last Leaf with Prodigy Doll a head behind in third. Then came Disco Ebo, Bluefield, Continentalcongres and Beneath the Stars. To show how fast this pace was, the top three finishers rallied from seventh, fifth and sixth after the first half-mile. Apple Picker completed the distance in 1:25.22 over the fast track and returned $12.40 as the third choice.

Odds-on favorite Bluefield, up from Gulfstream for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., showed early speed, was outpaced on the turn when the two pacesetters got away, tried to re-rally on the outside, but never looked like a winner.

Owner Michael Dubb bought Apple Picker in utero when he purchased her dam for $21,000 at the Keeneland November breeding sale in 2019. A debut winner at 2 at Belmont for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, Apple Picker was transferred to Brittany Russell’s barn prior to her 3-year-old debut, a 6 3/4-length win in a “two-life” allowance at Delaware.

Apple Picker earned her first stakes victory when winning Pimlico’s Weather Vane last September. She placed in her two starts leading up to the Fritchie, the Safely Kept Stakes restricted to 3-year-olds at Laurel on Nov. 25, and the Willa On the Move for 3-year-olds and upward on Dec. 23.

The latter race impressed Russell as Apple Picker was knocked off-stride in midstretch. ““I’m not saying she wins that day, but it took a lot of run out of her. She recovered and came back on. It shows how tough she is.”

Apple Picker hails from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Lakeway. She has won 4 of 12 starts for lifetime earnings of $330,783.

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