Prince of Jericho gives trainer Brittany Russell second stakes win on card in Spectacular Bid
Trainer Brittany Russell completed a sweep of the $100,000 stakes races for 3-year-olds on Saturday’s “Winter Carnival” program at Laurel Park when Prince of Jericho won the Spectacular Bid at seven furlongs.
Earlier on the card, Russell sent out L Street Lady to prevail in the Xtra Heat for fillies at six panels.
The Spectacular Bid featured a rematch between Coffeewithchris and Prince of Jericho, who ran one-two in Laurel’s Heft Stakes on Dec. 30.
Carol Cedeno picked up the mount on Prince of Jericho in the Spectacular Bid, and she didn’t let Coffeewithchris get too far in front. Tiz No Clown battled for the lead from the inside with favored Coffeewithchris parked out three wide and Heldish in between them through splits of 23.35 and 46.85 seconds.
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Coffeewithchris hit the front on the turn, but Prince of Jericho was right on top of him from the outside. Cedeno guided Prince of Jericho to the front, and they drew away to win by four lengths in 1:25.93.
Coffeewithchris was second, 4 1/2 lengths clear of third-finisher B West. On the Mark, Tiz No Clown, We Don’t Need Roads, Heldish and My Blue Eyes were next
Prince of Jericho returned $5.80 to win as the second choice in the betting.
Prince of Jericho sold twice as a yearling in 2021. He went for $50,000 at Fasig-Tipton July and for $85,000 at Fasig-Tipton October.
By Munnings, he is the first foal out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Golden Review, a half-sister to Grade 2-winning turf router Sparkling Review from the family of Grade 1 winners Another Review and No Review.
Owned by Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey, Prince of Jericho has won 3 of 5 starts and has earnings of $148,800.
The Spectacular Bid and Xtra Heat were two of six stakes on the program.
Fire Plug Stakes
Factor It In continued his string of excellent races with a rallying victory in the $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes for 4-year-olds and upward at 6 1/2 furlongs.
A 7-year-old gray son of The Factor, Factor It In last year won two stakes in Maryland and finished a close third in two Grade 3 events at Aqueduct. He also ran second in the Chesapeake Stakes at Colonial Downs and won a high-level allowance.
Factor It In was heavily favored in the Fire Plug after his 101-Beyer performance in the Dave’s Friend at Laurel on Dec. 30.
Ridden by Angel Cruz, Factor It In ($3.40) settled outside as Five Dreams controlled the pace while pressured by 43-1 shot Air Token. Those two sparred through fractions of 23.51 and 46.62 but Factor It In lurked just behind them.
Cruz began the winning three-wide sweep to the front in upper stretch and Factor It In went about his business. He bested late-stepping Yodel E. A. Who by two lengths in 1:18.01. Five Dreams finished another half-length behind in third. The Fire Plug was Cruz’s second stakes victory on the card.
Next up were Alwaysinahurry, Savoy, Karan’s Notion, Air Token and Al Loves Josie. Beren and Pirate Rick scratched.
Factor It In has won 8 of 18 start for trainer Carlos Mancilla and owner Michael Scheffres after being claimed for $25,000 at Laurel on Nov. 17, 2019. Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Marc McLean, Pope McLean, Jr. and Phil Hager, Factor It In has earned $490,120.
What a Summer Stakes
After Swayin to and Fro upset Fille d’Esprit in last month’s Willa On the Move Stakes, one wondered if there was a changing of the guard in the local filly and mare sprint division.
Not so fast.
Utilizing a wide, sweeping rally under jockey Xavier Perez, Fille d’Esprit ($6.80) exacted her revenge in the $100,000 What a Summer at six furlongs, besting favored Swayin to and Fro by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:11.70.
Trainer Jerry Robb told Daily Racing Form earlier this week that he was puzzled by Fille d’Esprit’s fourth-place finish in the Willa On the Move and thought a speed bias might have worked against her.
On Saturday, no such bias existed and Fille d’Esprit settled near the back as Dontletsweetfoolya and Swayin to and Fro contested the opening quarter in 22.52. Fille d’Esprit was in full flight on the outside after a half in 46.45, soon poked her head in front of Swayin to and Fro, and went on to name her margin. Snicket was third, 1 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up. Then came Fouette and Dontletsweetfoolya. Disco Ebo scratched.
Fille d'Esprit has won 12 of 22 starts for Robb, including six stakes, since being claimed on behalf of C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm for $10,000 on Aug. 21, 2020. Lifetime, she boasts 14 wins from 25 starts for earnings of $685,101.
A 7-year-old mare, Fille d'Esprit shares the same breeding nick as Anna's Bandit, who won 17 of 39 races and earnings of $806,555 for Robb and No Guts No Glory. Both are by Great Notion out of No Armistice mares. Anna’s Bandit produced her first foal, a colt by Tapit, on Jan. 10.
Fille d’Esprit was bred in Maryland by Sweet Spirits Stables.
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