Barbara Fritchie one possibility for Thirteen Arrows

At least two of the winners of the three stakes races last Saturday at Fair Grounds could be headed out of town for their next starts, and while the third horse, Fila Primera, might run back in New Orleans, her connections think she could turn out to be better than the local stakes schedule in her division.

Thirteen Arrows beat only two rivals in the Pan Zareta Stakes but won by four lengths while notching her third straight victory for trainer Larry Jones and owner Fox Hill Farms. Thirteen Arrows in her previous start had captured the Zia Park Distaff, but though Thirteen Arrows has won multiple stakes now, her connections would love to add a graded win to her résumé. That chance, Jones said, could come in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap in February at Laurel Park, though Jones said Thirteen Arrows is merely possible for the race at this point.

Bullards Alley won the off-the-turf Woodchopper Stakes for 3-year-olds by three-quarters of a length over Oak Brook, and that despite racing a one-mile trip that his connections believe falls far short of ideal. Bullards Alley will get plenty of distance in his next intended start, the $200,000 John Connally Stakes at Sam Houston, a grass race lengthened from 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 miles for 2016.

“I know it’s going to be a tough race, but it sticks out on the schedule because of the distance,” said trainer Tim Glyshaw. “It really looks like he’ll run all day. I wouldn’t be afraid to run him two miles, really.”

While Bullards Alley probably is better on turf than dirt, Fila Primera almost certainly is, but she won the off-the-turf Pago Hop by one length anyway, extricating herself from traffic to burst clear in the short homestretch run.

“It’s not that she liked the dirt so much – she just tolerated it,” said trainer Mike Stidham. “She’s got a lot of class. I think she can win a graded stakes.”

There are, however, no such races for female turf horses on the Fair Grounds stakes schedule: The two older-filly grass-route stakes remaining at this meet are the $60,000 Marie Krantz on Jan. 16 and the $60,000 Daisy Devine on Feb. 20.

Torrontes shows promise

Torrontes finished second to the Fair Grounds-based Wild Man while making his career debut in November going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs, but he was second to none in a two-turn maiden race Monday, leading all the way under Robby Albarado to post a 3 3/4-length win in a mile-and-70-yard dirt race. Torrontes was timed in 1:44.35, but a Beyer Speed Figure wasn’t yet available at press time.

Torrontes, based at Oaklawn Park with trainer Kellyn Gorder, appeared to have exited the race in good condition and has returned to Arkansas. Gorder hopes to run Torrontes in a first-level allowance race either at Oaklawn or Fair Grounds, but such races often fail to fill, forcing maiden winners into early-season stakes.

“We went down to Fair Grounds to open a few doors for that horse,” said Gorder. “He’d had some growing pains, some minor issues early in his 2-year-old year that prevented him from starting before the end of Churchill, and we didn’t want to sit on him six weeks until Oaklawn. I thought he answered some questions: He handled the ship great, it seemed like the two turns really helped him, and he’s still real green. He’s a big, strong horse.”

Torrontes is by Macho Uno and out of a Boston Harbor mare and was purchased at auction for just $31,000.

Lovable Lyss to Silverbulletday

A possible sale of the talented filly Lovable Lyss failed to materialize, owner and trainer Hugh Robertson said, but Lovable Lyss remains on track to start Jan. 16 in the Silverbulletday Stakes.

Lovable Lyss already has won a maiden sprint by 3 3/4 lengths and a route allowance by five lengths while geared down at this meet. She has yet to work since that latter race Dec. 17, but Robertson said Tuesday that he planned to breeze Lovable Lyss in the next couple of days.

◗ I’m a Chatterbox, who’s in the conversation for champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, is galloping at Fair Grounds but remains in very light training, Jones said, as her connections ease her back toward a 2016 campaign.

◗ Workers of note on Tuesday included Eagle (next start undecided), who went a half-mile in 49.60 seconds; Stageplay (next start not yet announced), a half in 50.40; Fish Trappe Road (Lecomte Stakes), five furlongs in 1:00.20; Harlan Punch (stakes at Fair Grounds or Oaklawn), five furlongs in 1:02.40; and Mo Tom (stakes at Fair Grounds or Oaklawn), five furlongs in 1:01.20.