Class drop makes filly likely pick

Eight of her last nine races have come in stakes, and Polytrack is her best surface. So when Miss A. Bomb loads last among a field of eight fillies and mares in the Thursday feature at Turfway Park, she will do so as a deserving favorite.

Trained by Grant Hofmans, Miss A. Bomb is a two-time stakes winner taking full advantage of the allowance conditions of the Thursday feature, which is governed by a "three-other-than" restriction and carries a $28,000 purse. It was nearly a year ago that Miss A. Bomb upset the Gowell Stakes at nearly 22-1, and since then, she has raced almost exclusively in stakes, with a tough Keeneland allowance representing her lone dip in class.

Miss A. Bomb, a 3-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, is owned by Dick Colvin and the filly's breeder, William Gould. Besides the Gowell, a 2-year-old race that will be renewed Saturday at Turfway in Florence, Ky., the filly also won a $100,000 stakes, the Inaugural, on opening night of the Presque Isle Downs in early September. It only makes sense that Hofmans has picked an allowance spot for her, since her two races since the Inaugural have been subpar. She finished last in the Safely Kept at Laurel Park in October, then sixth in the Holiday Inaugural at Turfway nearly three weeks ago.

Victor Lebron, who into Wednesday action trailed only Brian Hernandez Jr. atop the Turfway jockey standings, has the mount on Miss A. Bomb, who will break from the far outside post in the 6 1/2-furlong race.

If Miss A. Bomb does not return to form, then several others appear capable of victory.

V.I.P. Princess has won 2 of her last 3 races, both at big mutuels with Dean Sarvis aboard. A Thunder Gulch filly trained by Allen Crupper, V.I.P. Princess will break from post 4 under Sarvis.

Fieldabeat (post 6) was up in the final jump to win her last start, a second-level allowance, on Dec. 2 at Turfway. Apprentice Dylan Williams has the call from trainer Phil Sims.

Saint Pegasus (post 7), a Fusaichi Pegasus filly, will be trying to rebound off a last-place finish in the Sept. 13 Safely Kept at Arlington Park. Before that, she had won 3 of 4 starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally, who has given Orlando Mojica the call Thursday.