The FREE WALLEYE Stakes

This week’s D.C. feature is named in honor of FREE WALLEYE, who won six races in a row in the early days of the Sim. Four three-year-old fillies will run 6.5 furlongs on the firm turf.

1 – Absolute HD (9/1) showed great precocity early in her career, winning her first start as a two-year-old with a 70 speed figure. In the year that has passed since she began racing, she’s only shown marginal improvement. Teakwood Farms has carefully managed this filly’s career and placed her in softer races with short fields. As a result she’s hit the board in five stakes races. She could do so again today, although she shouldn’t be a threat to Lost Project and Ziggolo.

2 – Favorite Lost Project (3/5) was a respectable second last time out in the Don’t Miss Out Handicap. She consistently runs speed figures in the 90s and is very familiar with the 6.5 furlong distance. Her biggest competition will come from Ziggolo.

3 – Stakes-placed Rotkehlchen (9/1) ran some good races late last year and early this year, but has struggled in her previous two starts. After a two-month break, she could bounce back here to hit the board, but probably won’t challenge either Lost Project or Ziggolo if they run as expected today.

4 – Second-choice Ziggolo (7/5) has an impressive record – she’s won half the races she’s entered and has only finished off the board three times in fourteen starts. Coming off a victory in The Honkey Tonk La Memorial Stakes, she’ll try to make it two in a row here. Her speed figures show she can run with Lost Project.