The most anxious moments for the connections and backers of Irish Maxima in Saturday’s $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel Park was when she broke through the starting gate prior to the official start of the race. But the assistant starter always had her in hand, and Irish Maxima didn’t get too far.
When the gates opened for real, Irish Maxima made the lead rather easily under Frankie Pennington and the 4-year-old filly cruised to a comfortable two-length victory in the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park. Royal Spa and St. Benedicts Prep chased Irish Maxima all the way around the track with Royal Spa getting second by a neck over St. Benedicts Prep. It was 10 lengths back to I’m a Cutie Pie with Mary Q finishing last of five.
Aussie Girl scratched to run in the Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park on March 1.
Irish Maxima won for the seventh time from 10 starts for Irish Three Racing and trainer John Servis.
In a post-race interview broadcast on Laurel’s simulcast feed, Servis said he was “sick” when he saw his filly break through the starting gate before the race.
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“The only thing I remember of Seattle Slew ever getting beat was when he broke through the gate,” said Servis, referring to the 1977 Triple Crown winner who did break through the gate prior to the start of the 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup, a race he lost by a nose to Exceller. “I was like ‘Oh, my God, now we got to do this?’ ”
There was no real suspense during the race.
Irish Maxima opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage through a quarter in 23.14 seconds, expanded the margin to three after a half-mile in 46.55 and was never seriously threatened to the wire. She covered the seven furlongs in 1:25.38 over a muddy sealed track that officially was listed as good and returned $2.60 as the favorite.
“She ran great,” Servis said.
Irish Maxima has now won five of her last six starts dating back to last August. Servis said earlier in the week that a solid effort in the Barbara Fritchie could earn Irish Maxima a graded stakes opportunity in something like the Grade 3, $ 175,000 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 6.
Nellie Morse
Sea Dancer backed up her 16-1 upset in the Carousel Stakes in December with a 3 3/4-length victory as the 2-5 favorite in Saturday’s $96,000 Nellie Morse Stakes, a race that scratched down to four horses.
Stuck down on the inside while last of four, but only two lengths back under Sheldon Russell, Sea Dancer went around Sweet Heidelberg at the three-furlong pole, then rallied inside of Headline Numbers at the top of the lane. The two ran together until midstretch, where Sea Dancer began to pull away. Headline Numbers finished second by 11 lengths over Bailintin with Sweet Heidelberg finishing last of four.
Peppermint Class and Call Another Play scratched.
Sea Dancer, a 4-year-old daughter of Mastery owned by S F Racing and trained by Brittany Russell, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.07 over a track labeled fast, but one that was downgraded to good immediately after the race. Sea Dancer, who took a lot of late money, returned $2.80 as the favorite.
“I didn’t have any problems rating her last time, obviously today they went a little slow, she was pretty strong with me going around that first bend,” Sheldon Russell said in a post-race interview broadcast on Laurel’s simulcast feed. “Luckily enough, she was listening to what I was asking her to do. I didn’t really have anywhere to get her out, fair play to her she just sort of stayed as relaxed as she could. I had a little opening at the 3 1/2 [furlong marker] and she shot straight through there.”
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