Elle Z's win in Fred Aime Memorial tops trainer Chris Hartman's 4-for-4 weekend
Elle Z’s game win Saturday in the Fred Aime Memorial Stakes was part of an excellent run for trainer Chris Hartman, who went 4 for 4 Saturday and Sunday with Fair Grounds starters.
“The weekend was wonderful,” said Hartman, who’s up to 15 winners this meet, five behind leading trainer Brad Cox through Sunday. “That was some kind of run from Elle Z.”
Change of Control, who has won two Grade 3 turf sprints, headed Elle Z at the furlong grounds in the Aime before Elle Z came back and won by a nose. Her time for about 5 1/2 furlongs of 1:04.85 yielded a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure, which came just four weeks after Elle Z had hit a new top of 97 in a stakes win.
Elle Z, a 5-year-old City Zip mare, now has a Fair Grounds record of 6-4-2-0, and there’s another turf sprint for her this meet, the $75,000 Mardi Gras on March 1.
“She loves New Orleans, that’s for sure. She’s a bigger and stronger filly right now who’s in the best form of her life,” Hartman said.
◗ The featured third race Friday, a high-end dirt sprint allowance with an $80,000 claiming option, has just five entrants.
◗ Clairiere, among the top older females in training, had her first work of 2022 on Sunday, breezing a half-mile in 52.80 seconds.