Stidham notches Turkey Day turf-allowance triple

It was a happy Thanksgiving indeed for the Mike Stidham barn at Fair Grounds.

Stidham won an older-horse first-level turf allowance on Thursday’s card with Zumurudee; a 2-year-old first-level turf-sprint allowance with Credit Swap; and a filly-and-mare second-level turf-route allowance with Superiority Complex.

“Yeah, we were pretty pleased with it,” Stidham said Friday.

Superiority Complex, a 4-year-old Irish-bred Hard Spun filly, is the most advanced of Stidham’s three winners. Racing in blinkers for the first time, she went to the front under Joe Bravo and won by more than three lengths.

“Blinkers definitely helped her style,” Stidham said. “It put her in the race and she kept going.”

Stidham will try to win a Fair Grounds turf stakes this winter with Superiority Complex, who has a strong female family. The first such option comes Dec. 16 in the Blushing K.D. Stakes.

Credit Swap, a 2-year-old Exchange Rate colt, could get a chance around two turns, but there are no turf-route stakes for him at Fair Grounds and Stidham will have to consider shipping.

Stidham also has a horse, Reflecting, for the 2-year-old filly turf-sprint allowance on the Sunday card. Reflecting was a sharp debut winner turf-sprinting at Arlington and can be forgiven a dirt failure in her second run.

“Her race came off the turf and we tried it, but it wasn’t a good idea,” Stidham said. “She’s pretty talented.”