John B. Campbell a three-way rematch

The Barbara Fritchie undercard at Laurel Park on Saturday is topped by a pair of competitive $100,000 stakes at 1 1/8 miles, the John B. Campbell for both sexes and the Maryland Racing Media Stakes for fillies and mares.

The Fritchie, Campbell, and Racing Media all have fields of 11, but Team Valor said via social media Thursday that it would scratch Went the Day Well from the Campbell. Dale Capuano has Miss Mischief and Disco Barbie cross-entered in the Racing Media and the Fritchie, so those fields also will change.

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The Campbell is slotted as the seventh race, the Fritchie as the eighth, and the Racing Media as the nightcap on the nine-race card. They form a pick three with possibilities.

The place to start in the Campbell is with Turco Bravo, Cosmic Gold, and Cerro, who finished second, third, and sixth in the $100,000 Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel on Jan. 3. That 1 1/16-mile race was contested in fog over a muddy track. The seven-length winner, Elnaawi, came back to finish third in the Donn Handicap last Saturday.

Cerro set a controlled pace in the Native Dancer, battled on once confronted by Cosmic Gold nearing the stretch, but was outfinished late. Only 1 1/4 lengths separated runner-up Turco Bravo and Cerro in that race. Cerro could control the pace again Saturday for trainer Dane Kobiskie.

Cosmic Gold was fanned five wide on the first turn, rated just off Cerro to the stretch turn, but lacked the needed kick after looking loaded for bear. That was Cosmic Gold’s stakes debut following three easy wins for Mike Trombetta, and he should benefit from the experience.

Turco Bravo came four wide into the stretch and continued willingly to beat Cosmic Gold by a half-length for second. He has since finished second to Micromanage in the Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct and is in good form for Gary Contessa.

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Others of note in here are Southern Freedom, who races for Jerry Hollendorfer, and defending champion Behemoth. This will be Southern Freedom’s stakes and main-track debut. He is 2 for 6 on synthetic tracks and 1 for 4 on turf. Behemoth won this race by a nose last year for trainer Claudio Gonzalez but is 0 for 8 since.

Shayjolie back quickly

Shayjolie, trained by Contessa, has been knocking heads with some tough company in New York and may be the one to beat in the Maryland Racing Media Stakes.

Shayjolie went well over a speed-biased track to be second in the Comely at Aqueduct on Nov. 29. She weakened to fourth in the Affectionately there and was beaten three lengths by America, who was winning her third straight. On Feb. 6, she was fourth in the Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct.

Although Shayjolie returns on short rest, she will be facing easier company.

Trainer Marty Wolfson has shipped in Flores Island from Florida. She will be stretching out from seven furlongs and can be expected to show speed. The question is, will she be able to best Pearl Bay on the front end? Pearl Bay, 6, is much improved since being transferred to Parx-based Cathal Lynch last spring and has won four allowances or optional claimers in a row.

Trainer Graham Motion won this race a year ago with Ilikecandy and takes two shots to repeat Saturday with Luna Time and Zucchini Flower.

Luna Time won an oddly run second-level optional-claiming race going 1 1/8 miles at Laurel on Dec. 12. Two horses, one of whom was bearing out, set unrealistic early fractions and set up Luna Time, who bided her time in last early.

Luna Time is 3 for 7 in her career, and this will be her stakes debut. She has worked six times since Jan. 3, the first five at Fair Hill and the most recent at Laurel.