W W Fitzy stretches off claim

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – W W Fitzy will be going for the eighth win of her career Sunday when she takes on some less-experienced fillies and mares in the feature at Oaklawn Park.

The eighth race is a second-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles and carries an optional-claiming price of $40,000. The purse is $106,000 after an increase to overnight races went into effect Saturday.

The field of eight includes the up-and-coming fillies Alta’s Award, Jilted Bride, and O Seraphina, with each a winner of two races. W W Fitzy, who is 7 for 18 and a stakes winner against Illinois-breds, makes her first start for new connections. She was claimed last out, when second at this level Feb. 11 at Oaklawn.

“The main reason we claimed her is she likes to win,” trainer Cipriano Contreras said. “She’s a nice filly. She runs good, and we’re going to try to get some money back for everybody.”

W W Fitzy races for the partnership of Contreras Stable Inc. and Randy Wientjes.

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The race Sunday will be the second start of the year for W W Fitzy. She was second by three-quarters of a length in her return, which marked her first race since September. It came at a mile, and she will be racing beyond that distance for the first time in her career Sunday.

W W Fitzy controlled the pace for much of her last race and figures to again be prominent under jockey Francisco Arrieta.

“There’s more speed in the race,” Contreras said of Sunday. “She’s fairly quick out of the gate. I think she’s going to lay close.

“She’s a real smart filly, easy going.”

The potential pace rivals include Laurieann, who breaks from the rail off a pair of front-running victories in routes at Delta Downs and Oaklawn. She is 4 for 8 and the second winningest member of the field. Richard Eramia has the mount for trainer Tim Martin.

O Seraphina also has speed and could be prominent from post 2. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for trainer Joe Sharp. Charming Lady is stretching out from a series of sprint races and could be up in the fray. Jockey Florent Geroux has the mount for trainer Tom Amoss.

Jilted Bride, a stalker, and Alta’s Award, a closer, give trainer Steve Asmussen a one-two punch. Jilted Bride is coming off a first-level allowance win at this distance Jan. 31 at Oaklawn, while Alta’s Award is moving back to dirt – the surface of both of her career wins – following a fourth-place finish in a turf route at Fair Grounds. Joe Talamo will be aboard Alta’s Award, and Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Jilted Bride.