by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows
Washington, PA — Hambletonian Oaks winner Bold And Fresh has an ambitious fall stakes schedule planned, but whether or not she makes those engagements depends to a large extent on her performance in Friday’s (September 23) Keystone Classic at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Lisa photo
Bold And Fresh will return to the track in the Keystone Classic on Friday.
When the daughter of SJ’s Caviar-Odra Coucou leaves from the rail in race four, the first of three divisions of the $79,200 stake for sophomore trotting fillies, she’ll be trying to rebound from disastrous breaks in the Zweig and the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship, her only two appearances since the Oaks.
No one will be observing Bold And Fresh more keenly than trainer Doug Miller, who has her ticketed for the filly Kentucky Futurity, the Bluegrass and the Breeders Crown if she rebounds strongly.
“If she doesn’t race well, that kind of scratches my whole schedule for the fall,” Miller said. “My only concern now is that she hasn’t had a good mile since the Oaks. If she stays flat, her manners are good, and she puts in a credible race, then I’ll feel like she’s back on track.”
Miller indicated he didn’t find any common denominators in her misadventures in the Zweig at Tioga Downs and the Sires Stakes final at Harrah’s Chester.
“She was in such a great groove leading up to the Oaks, but she was way too aggressive at Tioga,” he said. “I don’t know if it was because she hadn’t raced in awhile, but she was on the gallop before the wings even folded. She came out of that race a little sore. She seemed more relaxed at Chester, but she wasn’t good-gaited in the turns.”
Bold And Fresh qualified at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on September 13, finishing second in 1:59.4, last quarter in :30.3.
“She seemed very good and really relaxed,” said Charlie Norris, who qualified her and will pilot her in the Keystone Classic. “We didn’t go a whole lot, and we weren’t trying to push her. From the rail, I’ll just want to get her set, get her out of there on the right foot. In the beginning of the year, that was really her game, chasing them down. I hope she’s not discouraged from the last few starts.”
Her 24-1 upset in the Oaks helped propel Bold And Fresh to a career bankroll of $513,129 for owner Donald Bartling, who purchased her for $40,000 as a yearling. Her division Friday will go at approximately 7:45 p.m.
The field from the rail out, with drivers and morning line odds:
1. Bold And Fresh-Charlie Norris-7-5
2. Decolletage-Dave Palone-4-1
3. Quantum Glidingby-Dan Charlino-10-1
4. Cutie Pie-Mike Wilder-5-1
5. Madam Stacey-David Miller-20-1
6. MM’s Lioness-Dick Stillings-5-2
7. Win You Over-Brett Miller-20-1