Lady Sabelia tries to get back on track in Skipat

BALTIMORE – Lady Sabelia must not have liked Kentucky – not at all. The speedy mare finished absolutely last when venturing outside her comfort zone to compete in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland last month, a subpar effort to strongly suggest that she left her game back in Maryland.

Now back in her home boundaries, Lady Sabelia will be a solid favorite Friday to revert to form when facing eight other female sprinters in the $100,000 Skipat Stakes on the Preakness Eve card at Pimlico.

Based at Laurel Park with trainer Robin Graham, Lady Sabelia had reeled off four straight victories, culminating with the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie in mid-February, prior to her Kentucky clunker. Duly regrouped since then with three Laurel breezes, ending with a bullet blowout last Saturday, she should take plenty of beating with a more typical effort.

Lady Sabelia, a 5-year-old Majestic Warrior mare bred and owned by Mrs. Frank P. Wright, will have regular rider Horacio Karamanos back aboard when breaking from post 5.

A trio of shippers from nearby circuits – Frivolity from New York, She’s Ordained from Pennsylvania, and Galiana from Delaware – appear to be the main challengers in the six-furlong Skipat (pronounced SKEE-pat), which is carded as the 12th race and is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. Eastern.

KEY CONTENDERS

Lady Sabelia (Last 3 Beyers: 58-99-91)

◗ Not only had she won four in a row before the Madison, but six of her prior seven and eight of her prior 11 – so she obviously loves to win.

◗ She faltered after being too eager on the lead at Keeneland, but versatility is a strong suit, as she previously had demonstrated an ability to come from off the pace if required.

Frivolity (Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-89)

◗ Based at Aqueduct with the ever-dangerous David Jacobson (13 for 35 in Maryland since early September), this filly comes off a decent second-place finish behind the standout New York-bred La Verdad and figures to get an inside stalking trip here under Paco Lopez.

She’s Ordained (Last 3 Beyers: 86-92-88)

◗ All three starts this year have been excellent, as she validated a second-place finish at 35-1 behind Lady Sabelia in early January with an optional-claiming triumph and another runner-up finish as the favorite behind Galiana in the Primonetta last month here at Pimlico.

Galiana (Last 3 Beyers: 93-70-73)

◗ A drawing-off score at 8-1 in the April 18 Primonetta brought her career mark to a neat 12 for 24, sufficient evidence to suggest that this New York-bred mare knows how to follow through when things fall her way.