Fibber hasn’t won in more than 11 months, despite creditable efforts in stakes company. She gets a chance to break that streak when she returns to the scene of her last victory in Monday’s $150,000 Twin Bridges Stakes at Ellis Park.
Fibber won her first two starts after being claimed for $100,000 by trainer Chis Hartman last year. The second of those outings was the Audubon Oaks, going seven furlongs at Ellis. She is winless in five outings since, but has been in the top three in four of those starts, and acquitted herself very well in graded stakes company last fall. The filly was second in the Grade 3 Dogwood to My Mane Squeeze, then third in the Grade 2 Raven Run to Emery and My Mane Squeeze.
In her most recent outings, Fibber was second to multiple graded stakes winner Spirit Wind in the Poinsettia in December at Oaklawn Park, beaten three-quarters of a length in a 5 1/2-furlong race that was perhaps a bit sharp for her. She was then second in the American Beauty in February at Oaklawn to stakes winner Benedetta, with Grade 1-placed millionaire Taxed in third. For the effort, Fibber earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 79, which places Monday’s morning-line favorite in the middle of a well-matched group. Every entrant in this field of 10 has earned a last-out Beyer between 75 and 82.
Fibber has worked very forwardly for her first start in more than five months – five of her past eight works have been bullet moves – and blew out three furlongs for the six-furlong Twin Bridges this week. In her past races, she has preferred to sit back and make a run, and will have opportunity to do so again under Joe Ramos.
There is plenty of speed in this race led by Clique, who will her stakes debut, and Asternia, who ran well on the lead when narrowly beaten last out. Asternia, who is stakes quality on dirt, returned to that surface last out after two unplaced efforts on turf, and could be an overlay.
Several others in this field have shown the ability to run well from both on or off the lead and could add to the pace, including stakes winners Legadema and Mischievous Gal. Legadema, winner of the Goldfinch at Prairie Meadows last year, is making her first start since finishing third in the Dogwood last fall, and has shown the ability to run well off the bench.
Mischievous Gal won the Majestic at Oaklawn earlier this year over fellow Twin Bridges entrant Dashingly, capping a period from September 2024 to May 2025 during which she won five of six starts. Mischievous Gal can be forgiven for third-place finishes in her two most recent starts, as she caught a sloppy track when third in the Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park behind two next-out winners, then was third in the Chicken Fried on turf.
Mischievous Gal is a pace-pressing type, and will likely have to race forwardly from the rail.
Mink’s Palace won the Roxelana at Churchill Downs with a pace-pressing trip, and drops back somewhat in class after finishing off the board in a pair of graded stakes.
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