City Trip looks ready to fire in Shenandoah

The only three victories that the 6-year-old mare City Trip has recorded during her 25-race career have come on Polytrack or turf. Her best finish in three starts on dirt was a third at Gulfstream Park two years ago. But based on how well City Trip has been working at Charles Town since arriving from Woodbine, she looks raring to go for Wednesday night’s $30,000 Shenandoah Stakes for fillies and mares.

In preparation for her first start for new owner-trainer Jamie Stokes, City Trip has earned four consecutive bullet half-mile workouts from the gate since mid-November, including a best-of-62 move in 47 seconds Dec. 27. The series of drills should have her fit for the 4 1/2-furlong Shenandoah, which drew a field of seven.

The other prime contenders look like Saturday Suprise and Great Crowd, both returning to Charles Town after off-the-board finishes in Maryland this month. Saturday Suprise and Great Crowd are both five-time winners locally.

Shenandoah Stakes, race 7

KEY CONTENDERS

City Trip (Last 3 Beyers: 65-63-46)

◗ She switches from turf to dirt for her first start since September.

◗ She held the lead after the first half-mile of longer sprints in her last three starts.

◗ Recent workouts indicate that she loves the surface at Charles Town.

Saturday Suprise (Last 3 Beyers: 51-81-81)

◗ She returns to Charles Town for the first time since missing by less than a length in a similar sprint in September. She is 5 for 20 with six runner-up finishes here.

◗ Trainer Kevin Patterson is 11 for 30 (37 percent) with fillies and mares back in fewer than 21 days in sprints no longer than 4 1/2 furlongs.

Great Crowd (Last 3 Beyers: 70-70-73)

◗ She flashed speed and backed up while going six furlongs at Laurel Park on Jan. 15. She was second to Saturday Suprise the last time they met in November at Mountaineer but finished ahead of that rival when they clashed at Charles Town on Sept. 3.