Fanniebellefleming Proves Best in $50,000 Donna Freyer

Fanniebellefleming Proves Best in $50,000 Donna Freyer

Whirlin Curlin Springs Upset in $50,000 Christopher Elser Memorial
            
LAUREL, MD – Lee Christian’s Fanniebellefleming, cut back to sprinting off a disappointing effort at a mile last out, edged clear of favorite Kapalua Starlight in mid-stretch and pulled away to a 2 ¼-length victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Donna Freyer Stakes at Laurel Park.
 
The Donna Freyer for 2-year-old fillies was one of two six-furlong stakes for horses that spent at least 90 days in South Carolina between  Jan. 1 and June 30 on the nine-race program, along with the $50,000 Christopher Elser for 2-year-olds.
 
Known as the South Carolina Residency Races, the Freyer and Elser were created in 2005 and had been previously run at Parx Racing. Christian is a former president of the South Carolina Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
 
Bred in Maryland by Mrs. J.W.Y. Martin Jr., Fanniebellefleming ($23.20) completed the distance in 1:12.28 over a fast main track for trainer Hamilton Smith. The 2-year-old daughter of Freedom Child was raised at the Elloree Training Center in Elloree, S.C. that has been owned and operated since 1973 by Smith’s brother, Frank “Goree” Smith.
 
“My brother thought a lot of this filly when he sent her up to me. I hope she improves,” Smith said. “I’m glad for Lee and it’s nice for South Carolina. I’m glad to have the races here and I hope they continue to have them here. It was very nice to win it.”
 
Stakes-placed Dialin was quickest from the gate and in front until being passed by Kapalua Starlight after a quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds, and the 8-5 favorite maintained the lead following a half in 47.06. Kept in the clear on the outside by jockey Jomar Torres, Fanniebellefleming rolled up to challenge Kapalua Starlight after straightening for home, and they dueled to the eighth pole before the winner proved best.
 
Kapalua Starlight was a clear second, 4 ½ lengths ahead of Dialin. They were followed by Off My Stage, Greasedlightning and Selima Stakes winner Wise Gal, who contested the early pace before dropping back in her first start on dirt.
 
It was the second win from six starts for Fanniebellefleming, all at Laurel, where she ran sixth in the Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 21, beaten just 2 ¼ lengths at odds of 67-1.
 
“She had one race where she got in some trouble and should have run better, but other than that what you see on her form is what she did,” Smith said. “I don’t know yet where we’re going to go from here.”
 
Whirlin Curlin Springs Upset in $50,000 Christopher Elser Memorial
 
Marathon Farms homebred Whirlin Curlin, racing over a fast main track for the first time following off-the-board finishes in the slop and on turf, rolled to the lead on the far turn and never looked back to upset the $50,000 Christopher Elser Memorial by 2 ½ lengths.
 
Whirlin Curlin ($49.80) ran six furlongs in 1:11.73, giving fall meet-leading jockey Jevian Toledo his third win of the afternoon and trainer Gary Capuano his second straight Elser victory following O Dionysus in 2016.
 
“He really ran good today,” Capuano said. “We tried to put a little speed into him today and took a shot in this race. He’s been training real good. We were just kind of taking a flier. Down the backstretch he just started taking off and I knew he was going to be tough from there.”
 
A gelded son of Hall of Famer Curlin and half-brother to 2015 Maryland Million Lassie winner Lexington Street, also trained by Capuano, Whirlin Curlin was settled in fourth as Chinquapin took the field through a quarter-mile in 22.75 seconds. Gaining ground steadily on the outside, Whirlin Curlin was in front after a half in 46.54 and easily disposed Jumpmaster in the stretch to earn his first win.
 
“I just put him in the clear when he was behind because I thought he didn’t like the dirt,” Toledo said. “He grabbed the bit beautiful today and when I asked him he just took off. I had a ton of horse.”
 
Chinquapin, even-money favorite Hidden Funds, Grandtap N Va Rvf, Final Blessing and Kitchen Fire completed the order of finish.