Barbara Fritchie Handicap 2014 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap was originally scheduled to run Saturday, February 15 from Laurel Park just outside Laurel, Maryland. Due to the weather affected the area, it was rescheduled for February 22.

A purse of $300,000 will be on the line for fillies and mares three years old and upward willing to dash seven furlongs on Laurel Park's main track.

A field of 10 will line up in the Barbara Fritchie - race 9 on Laurel Park's Saturday card. Here is a look into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

Horse Race Betting at Laurel Park

- Open OTB Account
Horse Racing Rebates

2014 Barbara Fritchie Handicap Race Favorite Entries

Winning Image - Michael Aro pupil won four straight minor stakes races late 2012/early 2013 - the Sweet and Sassy Stakes and the Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park, the My Juliet Stakes at Parx and the Willa On the Move Stakes at Laurel Park back in December. She followed that with a ninth in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters September 9 and was fourth in the minor Cornucopia Stakes at Parx in October. Winning Image returned to the winner's circle last time out however - in the minor What a Summer Stakes on this track January 25. She has 12 career wins and looks like the one to beat Saturday. Tony Black will be in the saddle from post 6.

La Verdad - lightly raced Linda Rice trained filly enters on a five race win streak - the lone blemish in her career came in her debut. She races in stakes company for the first time Saturday after three straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Aqueduct this winter, an Allowance Optional Claiming win at Belmont Park in May and a MSW score at Aqueduct last April. Obviously La Verdad looks more than ready for her step up in competition and should be right in the mix Saturday.

Barbara Fritchie Handicap 2014 | Remaining Contenders

My Wandy's Girl - defending runner up in this race as 13-10 favorite behind Funnys Approval had just two more starts in 2013 for trainer Michael Hushion - a good second in the Grade 2 Ruffian Handicap at Aqueduct in April was followed by eight months away and a fifth last time out in the minor Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct December 7. She had 11 starts in 2012 with an incredible nine wins, a second and a third place finish - that coming in the Grade 1 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct November 23. Included in the wins are the Grade 1 Dia de los Padres Stakes and the Grade 2 Roberto Clemente Stakes in Puerto Rico before a win in her North American debut in the Pentelis Stakes here November 15. She looks for her first graded stakes win with Rajiv Maragh in the saddle.

Baragah - Kiaran McLaughlin trained filly has six career starts with two wins and a third place finish but is coming off a fourth behind Winning Image in her stakes debut - the What a Summer Stakes here January 25 after two wins in her previous three races - an Allowance on this track December 20 and a MSW at Belmont Park in October. Sandwiched in there is an ugly eighth place finish in an Allowance at Aqueduct December 1.

Barbara Fritchie Handicap betting at Laurel Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Access to Charlie - is a veteran of 22 career starts, is multiple stakes placed has just one graded stakes result - a fifth in the Grade 3 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park June 15. Since then she's has won the minor Geisha Stakes and finished third in the minor Nellie Morse Stakes January 4 - both results on this track. She also raced three other minor stakes races at Laurel Park last year placing in all - the Conniver Stakes March 23, the Maryland Racing Media Stakes February 23 and the 2013 Nellie Morese Stakes January 26. Access to Charlie knows this track well and has had some success here.

Villette - makes her graded stakes debut Saturday having won three straight races and four of her last five - all at Parx. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score January 14 after a win in the minor Foxy J.G. Stakes way back in April after nine months away. She has six wins and two second place finishes in 12 career starts and has placed in her last five starts overall.

Centrique - Martin Wolfson trainee won a Starter Stakes at Gulfstream December 7 and followed that with an Allowance score on that same track January 29. She makes her Laurel Park debut Saturday having won three of her last four starts and having placed in her last five overall.

Sunlit City - won three straight Allowance races in the fall but has stumbled to a ninth in the minor Safely Kept Stakes November 9 and a seventh last time out in a Starter Allowance November 30 - both results on this track. She races in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday and enters in less-than-spectacular form.

Flattering Bea - is coming off a second in the minor Safely Kept Stakes on this track November 9 after a fifth in the minor Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town in September and another second in the minor West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes at Mountaineer in August. She also had a second in May in the minor Miss Preakness Stakes. Flattering Bea steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday having won four times and finishing second three times in 11 career starts.

More Than a Cruise - enters this weekend having placed in her last 10 starts - no stakes however. Over that span she has two wins - one coming on this track two back in an Allowance Optional Claiming and the other being an Allowance score on this track in December 2012. She also has five seconds and two third place finishes - one of which came last time out - an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track January 29.


2014 Barbara Fritchie Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Laurel Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:24 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Baragah A. Cintron K. McLaughlin
12-1
2 Villette S. Elliott J. Servis
6-1
3 Centrique E. Zayas M. Wolfson
3-1
4 La Verdad J. Ortiz L. Rice
5-2
5 Sunlit City X. Perez C. Williams
30-1
6 Winning Image A. Black M. Aro
9-2
7 Flattering Bea S. Russell C. Pickett
20-1
8 Access to Charlie J. Pimentel L. Murray
20-1
9 More Than a Cruise . unknown jockey L. Murray
15-1
10 My Wandy's Girl R. Maragh M. Hushion
4-1