Sam Houston: Every Way preps for Jersey Lily in Monday optional claiming race

Every Way, who has placed in a pair of Grade 3 stakes, should start as a solid favorite in Monday’s seventh race at Sam Houston Race Park.

The optional $20,000 claimer for fillies and mares at a mile on turf carries second-level allowance conditions, and is expected to produce starters for next month’s $50,000 Jersey Lilly.

Every Way, who earlier in her career was second in the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington Park and third in the Grade 3 Mazarine at Woodbine, returns from a brief layoff. The start at Sam Houston will be her first since Nov. 10, when she ran second in an optional $62,500 claimer at Churchill Downs at 1 1/16 miles on turf. E.T. Baird has the mount for trainer Michael Stidham.

Others making up the field of eight include the Eric Reed-trained pair of Femme Fatale and Phonybooksnrecords. Femme Fatale is a stakes-placed runner who in her most recent start finished fifth in an optional $40,000 claimer at Fair Grounds on Jan. 16. Phonybooksnrecords exits the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston on Jan. 25, a main-track race in which she finished seventh. She is moving back to turf, where she won her maiden. Reed is a new face to Sam Houston, and has gone 8 for 23 with his starters.

The Jersey Lilly, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares, will be run on the Maxxam Gold Cup undercard March 1.