Bed O' Roses to rematch Fritchie one-two finishers

ELMONT, N.Y. – High Ridge Road beat By the Moon by a neck in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel in February. The two are expected to square off again in Friday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Bed O’ Roses Invitational at Belmont Park.

Since the Barbara Fritchie, High Ridge Road has finished seventh in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland and third in the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont on May 13. By the Moon, meanwhile, came off a nearly three-month layoff to win the Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap on May 5.

Trainer Linda Rice said High Ridge Road “seemed a little bit dull” following the Madison. She said she ran High Ridge Road in the Ruffian because she worked well the week before the race, and she felt her performance in the Ruffian was “a step in the right direction.”

A large field is expected for the Bed O’ Roses, run at seven furlongs. Expected to start are By the Moon, Flora Dora, High Ridge Road, Indulgent, Lightstream, Mia Torri, Quezon, Rachel’s Temper, Tale for Ruby, and Wheatfield.