Hollendorfer sending Sam's Sister east for Fritchie

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is expected to send out his first Maryland starters since the 2002 Preakness next weekend.

Hollendorfer plans to send in Sam’s Sister for the Grade 2, $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap next Saturday. He also has Outside Nashville for the Grade 3, $250,000 General George on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 16.

The Fritchie, for fillies and mares, and the General George, for both sexes, will be run at seven furlongs.

Sam’s Sister is training at Santa Anita and is expected to ship to Maryland on Wednesday, said Coleman Blind, stakes coordinator for the Maryland Jockey Club.

Sam’s Sister made her debut in July and has won five of six starts. In her last two races, she has defeated 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 1 La Brea on Dec. 26 and older fillies and mares in the Grade 2 Santa Monica on Jan. 19. Both races were at seven furlongs at Santa Anita.

U S S Tinosa finished sixth in the 2002 Preakness for Hollendorfer.

Expression, trained by Charlton Baker, is expected in from New York for the Fritchie. She won the Garland of Roses in December and most recently was a closing third in the six-furlong Interborough at Aqueduct. She should appreciate the extra furlong in distance.

A transplanted New Yorker who has been wintering in Florida, Princess Violet will be vanning north for the Fritchie. Princess Violet won the Empire Distaff Handicap for New York-breds as a 3-year-old in October and in her last start was second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 3 Go for Wand. She is trained by Mike Hushion.

Other expected starters are Best Behavior, who is based at Gulfstream Park with Marty Wolfson; Stormy Novel, trained by John Servis; and the razor-sharp Lady Sabelia, who has won five of her last six starts, all for Laurel-based trainer Robin Graham.

In addition to Outside Nashville, who has won two straight at Golden Gate Fields, the General George is in the plans for Zee Bros, the winner of the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel in November. Zee Bros, owned by Zayat Stables and trained by D. Wayne Lukas, is based at Oaklawn Park.

Also under consideration for the General George are the Tampa Bay Downs-based Bourbon Courage, who found new life for trainer Kellyn Gorder when shortened up in distance last fall; Javerre and Calamondin, both trained by Cathal Lynch; the Parx-based Praetereo; and the locally based Smash and Grab and Cutty Shark.

– additional reporting by David Grening