Undefeated Chub Wagon faces strong cast in Shine Again
Undefeated Chub Wagon faces some of the region’s best female sprinters when she starts as the likely favorite in Sunday’s $100,000 Shine Again traveling six furlongs at Pimlico.
Chub Wagon won her first five starts going gate to wire, but displayed a new dimension when grabbing the Skipat on May 15. The Hey Chub filly tracked behind the leader, eased out and roared by in the stretch.
Trainer Guadalupe Preciado was impressed by the filly’s adaptability. “When he [Irad Ortiz] took back, there was no problem,” he said. “When he asked, they took off again.”
Thirteen days later, Chub Wagon worked a bullet half-mile in 44.71 seconds, a drill that Preciado deemed too swift. “The track was fast and I guess the exercise rider went too fast.”
After scratching from the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses June 4 at Belmont, Preciado worked Chub Wagon a slower half on June 8 that was more pleasing. “The last work, I had the jockey [Jomar Torres] aboard,” Preciado said.
Chub Wagon’s versatility might be tested as she breaks from the rail against speedy Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya
Trained by Brittany Russell and ridden Sunday by Sheldon Russell, Hello Beautiful has won half of her 14 starts. In the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on Feb. 20, she hooked up in a pace battle with Dontletsweetfoolya that left both gasping. “She came out of the race a little banged up and needed a few weeks,” Russell said.
Hello Beautiful was compromised by the equine herpesvirus quarantine at Laurel this spring.
“It was sort of an extended vacation,” Russell said. “It wasn’t meant to be. She was never stopped on and Sheldon works her every time. When he says it’s game time, we put her in”.
Brittany Russell realizes the pace will be key.
“It didn’t work out for Hello Beautiful or Dontletsweetfoolya in the Fritchie,” she said. “If Chub Wagon goes, I think we’re in a great spot to sit outside her. If not, we could be on the lead.”
The last time Dontletsweetfoolya raced second off the layoff, she began a five-race win streak. She missed significant time leading up to her fourth-place finish in the Skipat due to the virus as well as the ongoing Laurel track renovation.
“We were surprised that we were in front of Chub Wagon and were a little short going into that race,” said trainer Lacey Gaudet. “She just got a little tired. She’s now on a different level fitness-wise.”
John Robb entered 17-time winner Anna’s Bandit for her first start since last summer.
“She’s fit, but I’m not expecting her to beat Chub Wagon,” Robb said. “I wanted to start her back in an easier spot. The last time she came off a layoff, it took her two, three races.”
Multiple stakes winner Never Enough Time, stakes-placed Unique Factor, Paisley Singing, and Lucre complete the field.