Vargas claims stakes double with Ms. Locust Point, Struth

Ms Locust Point was hesitant to enter the starting gate prior to the $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday but once the race began she was all business, using her sharp speed to an advantage and scoring by 2 3/4 lengths over Kentucky shipper Ivy Bell.

Ms Locust Point is now 4 for 6 in her career and undefeated in two starts at Laurel. She won the Gin Talking Stakes at the Maryland track as a 2-year-old last December.

Owned by Chuck Zacney and Jim Reichenberg, and trained by John Servis, Ms Locust Point is 2 for 2 since returning from a nine-month layoff after having had some foot issues.

Servis has a string of horses in Florida but said Ms Locust Point will likely winter in the Northeast.

"She's doing so well there, I think we are going to point to the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel as her early season objective," Servis said by phone from Florida following the race.

The Grade 2, $300,000 Barbara Fritchie is a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares at Laurel on Feb. 17.

Ms Locust Point paid $4.20 in the Willa On the Move. She covered the six furlongs in 1:09.84 over a fast track. Light snow was falling at Laurel throughout the afternoon.

Servis said it was unusual for her Ms Locust Point to be unruly at the gate.

"She never done that before, maybe it was the snowflakes," he joked.

Ms Locust Point attended the early pace outside horses before taking control on the far turn under jockey Jorge Vargas Jr., who was winning his second race of the day.

Ivy Bell, the 8-5 second choice, got hung up in the gate at the start and broke behind the field. Despite racing wide on the far turn, she finished well to be second-best. It was 3 1/2 lengths farther back to third-place finisher Line of Best Fit, who raced on the early pace inside the winner.

Bender Memorial: Struth clearly best

Parx-based rider Jorge Vargas Jr. scored his third win and second stakes victory on the card by guiding Struth to a decisive victory in the $75,000 Howard Bender Memorial.

Vargas had previously won the Willa On the Move Stakes aboard Ms Locust Point.

Struth and Vargas moved up to challenge for the lead three wide on the turn of the six-furlong Bender and then pulled away in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths in a flashy 1:09.21 over a fast track The winner paid $7.80.

"He broke super sharp and just took me for a ride," Vargas said.

Struth was claimed by trainer Kieron Magee for $20,000 on behalf of owner Mark Sitlinger in May. The 5-rear-old gelding has since won three races, including the Hockessin Stakes at Delaware Park.

Lewisfield, who raced on the early pace along the inside, finished second. Winplaceorshowono was third, 4 1/4 lengths farther back.

It's the Journey, the 9-5 favorite, ran evenly to be fourth. Showalter broke a bit slowly, moved up to press the pace outside Lewisfield, and then tired in the stretch to finish sixth.