Full fields for Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial, HBPA Stakes

The Presque Isle Downs season will conclude on a high note Thursday, as both closing-night stakes drew full fields and have also-eligibles.

The stakes are each worth $100,000. The Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial is for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs, and the HBPA Stakes is for fillies and mares at a mile and 70 yards. Presque Isle has a Tapeta racing surface.

The Dixon Memorial will match the stakes winners Wellabled and Ardmore Bay. The field also includes five entrants who won their last start, four at Presque Isle and another at Laurel Park.

Wellabled likely will be favored off his front-running 7 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity. The 88 Beyer Speed Figure he earned is by far the highest in this field.

Wellabled, trained by Larry Rivelli, won his debut in July over the Polytrack surface at Arlington Park. He was then sent to Saratoga, where he was beaten a head while second in the Skidmore, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint.

Romeo O Romeo, who finished second in the Arlington-Washington Futurity for trainer Brian Williamson, also is a contender in the Dixon Memorial, although he will have to make up the almost eight lengths he was beaten in the Futurity.

Ardmore Bay is based at Belmont Park with trainer Tom Morley. He won his maiden in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park after finishing third against New York-breds in his debut at Belmont. The Tyro is a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint.

Ardmore Bay stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga in his most recent start. He was steadied several times while rank early, then lodged a middle move toward the leaders while wide approaching the stretch. He weakened in the stretch to finish seventh.

Boys From Boston won a maiden race at Laurel nicely last time out while making his first turf start for trainer Jerry Robb.

◗ The HBPA Stakes is wide open, with contenders shipping in from Maryland, Delaware, and Kentucky.

Fleet Bertie has turn in two good efforts since trainer Charlie LoPresti switched her to the grass. She won a second-level optional-claiming race in her first turf start, then was third in the One Dreamer Stakes at Kentucky Downs last time out.

Valued Strike, who races for Graham Motion, won the Pennsylvania-bred Mrs. Penny at Parx Racing on Sept. 3. She had won a second-level optional claimer at Presque Isle in her prior start. She is 2 for 4 at Presque Isle.

Royal Jewely has won her last two races. Trained by Gerald Bennett, she comes into this off a pacesetting 5 3/4-length score in the Winter Melody over the main track at Delaware Park. Two back, she won a third-level optional-claiming race over turf at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Dale Capuano claimed Rocky Policy for $32,000 at Pimlico in June. Capuano stretched her out around two turns for her Presque Isle debut, and she rallied from off the pace to score a one-length victory in a no-conditions allowance. She was given a career-best 87 Beyer for her effort.