Xtra Heat powered to her 25th added-money victory, winning the Grade II, $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap for the second consecutive year Saturday at Laurel Park in Maryland.
Ridden by Rick Wilson, Xtra Heat ran the seven furlongs in 1:24.76 through a thick fog and over a sloppy track to defeat runner-up Carson Hollow by 1 3/4 lengths and pay $4 to win. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Spelling in third.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - With Jerry Bailey scheduled to ride in California next Saturday, trainer Steve Flint has secured the services of John Velazquez to ride Allamerican Bertie in that day's $200,000 Rampart Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
On Saturday morning, Velazquez got acquainted with Allamerican Bertie by guiding her through a five-furlong workout officially timed in 1:02.80 over Gulfstream's main track.
"I wanted him to get a little feel for her," Flint said. "When the exercise rider gets on her, she tends to go a little too fast. Maybe I should put him on her."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mandy's Gold, who shed her label as a one-dimensional sprinter when she won last year's Grade 1 Ruffian Handicap, may return to her sprinting roots Monday in a six-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park.
Mandy's Gold was entered as part of an entry with Bruanna by trainer Michael Gorham. Gorham said he wanted to review the past performances of the field before deciding which one to run.
NEW ORLEANS - Badge of Silver remains on target to make his next start in the March 8 Louisiana Derby, trainer Ronny Werner said Saturday.
Werner's comments came a day after Ken Ramsey - who co-owns Badge of Silver with his wife, Sarah - said Badge of Silver might skip the Louisiana Derby and head straight to the Illinois Derby on April 5 at Hawthorne Race Course. Ramsey, speaking after a stakes win at Gulfstream Park, cited extra time between starts as a reason for considering the move.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - My Boston Gal is undefeated after three starts, but her perfect record could be in serious jeopardy when she takes on the more seasoned pair of Ivanavinalot and Perfect Story in Sunday's $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16-mile Davona Dale is the highlight of a 10-race program that also includes the $75,000 Georgia Stakes and $65,000 Charon Stakes.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Apalachian Thunder will forsake the Derby chase for now, and focus instead on the realistic goal of becoming a graded stakes winner in a $100,000 sprint race. Rather than join the bounty of front-runners pointing for the Grade 2, one-mile San Rafael Stakes next weekend, Apalachian Thunder instead will cut back to one turn and return to grass in the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Owner Ken Ramsey had just won the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes with his 3-year-old Nothing to Lose, but he made more news Friday when he discussed a possible change in plans for his undefeated Kentucky Derby candidate Badge of Silver.
Ramsey said he is considering skipping the Louisiana Derby with Badge of Silver - the dominant winner of last week's Risen Star Stakes - and point to the $500,000 Illinois Derby on April 5 as the colt's final Kentucky Derby prep.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Cellars Shiraz will be a strong favorite in Sunday's $75,000 Georgia Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but her presence in the one-mile turf race did not scare anyone away.
Cellars Shiraz, a multiple stakes winner over this turf course as a 3-year-old, will face 10 rivals in the Allen Paulson division of the Georgia Stakes, open to the progeny of stallions who had a breeding right donated to the Georgia Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association annual auction.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Weekend workouts by Congaree and Medaglia d'Oro will determine whether the two handicap stars will start in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 1.
Medaglia d'Oro, the winner of the Strub Stakes on Feb. 1, was scheduled to work on Saturday at Hollywood Park. Trainer Bobby Frankel is also considering sending Medaglia d'Oro to the Middle East for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29.
Congaree, the winner of the San Pasqual and San Antonio handicaps at this meeting, will work Sunday, according to trainer Bob Baffert.
