Weekend Warrior for Saturday, Feb. 18: Picks for Barbara Fritchie, General George, Minaret

Laurel Park’s Winter Festival card has carved out a nice niche for itself, to the point that it is Saturday’s spotlight event. There are six stakes in this renewal of the Winter Festival, topped by the Grade 2, $300,000 Barbara Fritchie and Grade 3, $250,000 General George.

Gulfstream and Santa Anita have Grade 2, $200,000 features Saturday in the Royal Delta and Buena Vista. However, heavy rain was forecast for Southern California into Friday night and could have a significant impact on the Buena Vista, a one-mile race on turf.

Golden Gate and Oaklawn offer Grade 3 events in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby and $150,000 Bayakoa Stakes. The El Camino Real is a Kentucky Derby points prep.

Barbara Fritchie Stakes

There are a number of ways one could go here, such as one of the two Kiaran McLaughlin-trained runners – Takrees and Clothes Fall Off – or for Wonder Gal, a blowout winner of the Ladies Handicap most recently who takes an intriguing cutback in distance. But I think the strength of this race lies in High Ridge Road and By the Moon, the one-two finishers in the Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes run over the track on New Year’s Eve.

By the Moon was a narrowly beaten second in the Thirty Eight Go Go as the 3-5 favorite after moving perhaps a bit too soon early on the far turn while three wide. But By the Moon was game to the wire and remains the most accomplished horse in this field.

A Grade 1 stakes winner at 2, she was beaten only three lengths when fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint two starts back, was beaten only a half-length when second in the Grade 1 Ballerina three back, and won the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses four back. By the Moon has thrived on her light racing schedule, and cutting back from a one-turn mile to seven furlongs Saturday suits her at this point in her career.

But as tough as By the Moon will be, I like High Ridge Road to beat her again.

High Ridge Road has improved dramatically since moving into Linda Rice’s barn while strongly establishing her preference for one-turn races like this. High Ridge Road galloped at Laurel last spring in her first two starts for Rice, and prior to the Thirty Eight Go Go, she was beaten just a nose in the Go for Wand Handicap. That was a fine effort because not only was High Ridge Road caught four to five wide on the far turn, she also had to be compromised to at least some extent by a pace that seemed very deliberate and very much in favor of pacesetter Wonder Gal, who finished third.

In the Thirty Eight Go Go, High Ridge Road followed By the Moon’s move on the far turn while four wide and took her measure in upper stretch. And while By the Moon fought back gamely, High Ridge Road never seemed in danger of losing and simply looks to be the better horse right now.

General George Handicap

Whether the admirable Page McKenney goes in this race or in the John B. Campbell two races earlier, it’s Stallwalkin’ Dude for me in the General George.

Don’t be harsh on Stallwalkin’ Dude for only finishing third at 4-5 in the Toboggan most recently. The Toboggan was run on a day when there was a strong rail bias on Aqueduct’s inner track, and after being caught in tight between horses for much of the run around the far turn, Stallwalkin’ Dude only saw the rail for a very brief period in upper stretch. Stallwalkin’ Dude posted solid stakes scores two and four starts back, and at level weights with Heaven’s Runway on Saturday, he’s set to avenge a narrow loss to that rival three back, when he gave him a meaningful 11 pounds.

Minaret Stakes

No Fault of Mine, a clear winner of the Wayward Lass going 1 1/16 miles last time out, might seem out of place in this six-furlong supporting feature at Tampa Bay Downs. But I like her to win right back because she’s repeating a pattern that has worked for her in the past.

Twice before in her career, No Fault of Mine cut back in distance from a main-track route race to a sprint, and both times, she scored decisively, once at Tampa.