Ms Locust Point Makes It Four Straight in $300,000 Barbara Fritchie (G2)
Ms Locust Point Makes It Four Straight in $300,000 Barbara Fritchie (G2)
Highlights Six Winter Carnival Day Stakes Worth $950,000 in Purses
LAUREL, MD – Cash is King and Jim Reichenberg’s Ms Locust Point pushed her win streak to four races with her fourth career stakes victory and first graded triumph in Saturday’s $300,000 Barbara Fritchie (G2) at snowy Laurel Park.
The 66th running of the Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 42nd renewal of the $250,000 General George (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, both at seven furlongs, highlighted an 11-race Winter Carnival program featuring six stakes worth $950,000 in purses.
It was the second stakes win on the day for trainer John Servis, who also captured the $100,000 Maryland Racing Media with Miss Inclusive, and the fourth victory in as many tries at Laurel for Parx-based Ms Locust Point – all in stakes.
Favored at 3-5, Ms Locust Point was a front-running 4 ½-length winner over Moiety in 1:24.13 on a muddy main track. It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Safely Kept Stakes winner Berned in third.
“I’m very proud of her. First and foremost I want to thank Mr. [Chuck] Zacney and Mr. Reichenberg for giving me the opportunity not only to train this filly but to give her the time she needed to get over her little ailments,” Servis said. “They were very patient with me and she’s come back like a monster.”
Minor foot issues kept Ms Locust Point away from the races following her fifth-place finish in the Forward Gal (G2) last February at Gulfstream Park, her only previous try in graded company. She returned in November to beat older horses in an optional claiming allowance at Parx, then reeled off six-furlong stakes wins in the Willa On the Move Dec. 9 and What a Summer Jan. 20.
Winner of the seven-furlong Gin Talking at Laurel to cap her juvenile campaign, Ms Locust Point was quickest from the gate under winter-spring meet-leading jockey and regular rider Jorge Vargas Jr., going the first quarter-mile in 22.99 and a half in 46.61, with mild pressure from Moiety.
Ms Locust Point straightened for home with a 3 ½-length lead after going six furlongs in 1:11.31 and was set down for a drive by Vargas, drifting slightly in mid-stretch before correcting her path and cruising to the wire.
“She really can run. She took me there. Last time, I was trying to relax her a bit, but she likes to run,” Vargas said. “[The sloppy track] was something I was a little concerned about. She’s won on an off track before, but not like this. But she took to it good.”
Servis said one of his biggest concerns was how Ms Locust Point would handle the off going, particularly since she has been fitted with glue-on shoes since her comeback. The trainer said his filly lost a shoe winning the What a Summer.
“She was pretty sharp going into the race. I know she’s a good filly, and she seemed pretty happy,” Servis said. “I always worry a little bit with the glue-ons and an off track because you never know if it gets a little deep and starts sucking on those shoes, but she handled it well. She had all four of her shoes on when she came back so that’s a good thing.
“I couldn’t see that much,” he added. “I saw her break sharp and I know there wasn’t a whole lot of speed in here but I really couldn’t tell if she was settling or if she was running against the bit. Jorge came back and said she settled great, so that was a good thing.”
Servis said the seven-furlong Madison (G1) for fillies and mares 4 and older April 7 at Keeneland is a possible the next stop for Ms Locust Point.
“We’re going to give her an opportunity to show us. I think it’s time to get a little more aggressive with her and see if she can step up to the next level,” he said. “I would say the Madison might be on our schedule.”
