She Gives Me Fits tries to pick up where she left off

She Gives Me Fits began her career in solid fashion by winning her debut earlier this year, before the coronavirus pandemic interrupted racing schedules around the country. With Charles Town in West Virginia now back in action, the filly looks to build on her promise as she faces winners for the first time in Thursday night’s feature, a $28,000 allowance for fillies and mares who have never won a race other than maiden, claiming, starter, waiver claiming, or statebred races, or who have never won two races.

She Gives Me Fits, who is trained by Jeff Runco for Rockingham Ranch, is from the first crop of Daredevil, whose first-crop fillies include graded stakes winners Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil. She Gives Me Fits is from the influential female family that has produced sires Dynaformer and Darby Creek Road, along with Japanese champion Air Shakur and Grade/Group 1 winners Andover Way, Energia Davos, Homesman, Lones of Battle, Offlee Wild, and War Flag. While She Gives Me Fits has a long way to go to join that lofty company, the filly did make her debut a winning one Jan. 22 at Charles Town, going the same 4 1/2-furlong distance she will run Thursday night. She drew clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths, and the runner-up was a subsequent winner.

She Gives Me Fits has been working steadily for her second career start and will have Arnaldo Bocachica in the irons Thursday.

Golden Desire won three consecutive claiming races at Charles Town from January to March, two of them after being claimed by trainer Jacob Hess. However, she is looking to bounce back after finishing seventh in her most recent outing May 29. That was her first start in more than two months due to the interruption of racing.

Call Me Jelly Roll, trained by Bernard Dunham, and Hendaya, trained by Crystall Pickett, both come in off similar layoffs, and both most recently raced at Laurel Park, where they have posted the best Beyer Speed Figures for this field in 2020. Hendaya earned a Beyer of 66 while winning an allowance-level event in January, while Call Me Jelly Roll posted a 62 winning a claiming race.

Pickett also saddles Raelyn’s Star, who is making her first start since November. The mares Toto’s Darling, who has won once from five starts this year, and Lady Rebel, winner of one of four outings this year, complete the field.