Stablemates Threes Over Deuces, Shackqueenking Work for General George (G3)

BALTIMORE – Claimer-turned-stakes winner Glass Ceiling, co-owned by trainer Charlton Baker with Michael Foster, fired a bullet five-furlong work Saturday ahead of her next scheduled start in the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 19 at Laurel Park.

With regular rider Dylan Davis up, Glass Ceiling covered the distance in 1:01, the fastest of 17 horses over Belmont Park’s training track. It was the first work for the 5-year-old daughter of Constitution since extending her win streak to two races in an optional claiming allowance Jan. 23 at Aqueduct.

“She’s training good. She breezed this morning and she did it pretty good. She came out of it good, so we’re all set to run there,” Baker said. “It was just a routine five-eighths, just to get a little air into her. It was nothing spectacular, just a business-like work pretty much like I wanted. Dylan did a good job.”

Davis has been aboard for each of Glass Ceiling’s last five races, three of them wins including a 2 ¼-length triumph in the six-furlong Garland of Roses Dec. 11 at Aqueduct. During that stretch they also finished second by a head in the seven-furlong Pumpkin Pie and third by less than two lengths in a Saratoga allowance.

Baker said Davis will be at Laurel to ride Glass Ceiling in the seven-furlong Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and up, co-headliner with the $250,000 General George (G3) for older sprinters on a program featuring six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

“He fits her pretty good, and he knows her. He’s been on her now a few times and he figured her out so that’s a good thing,” Baker said. “Hopefully she can go over there and get the job done.”

Fritchie nominees working Saturday at Laurel were 2021 Safely Kept winner Belle of the North, five furlongs in 1:01.80, and Fille d’Esprit, four furlongs in 48 seconds.

Pocket 3’s Racing stablemates Shackqueenking and Threes Over Deuces breezed five furlongs in 1:00 Saturday at Laurel for the General George, fastest of 21 horses. Threes Over Deuces won the six-furlong Dave’s Friend two starts back and was fourth to Grade 3 winner Wondrwherecraigis last out in the Jan. 29 Fire Plug, a race where Shackqueenking ran third.

Also nominated to the George and working Saturday at Laurel were 2021 Maryland Million Sprint winner Air Token, four furlongs in 47.20 seconds, fastest of 57 horses; Galerio, a half-mile in 49.00; and Timeless Bounty, 59-1 winner of the Steel Valley Sprint Nov. 22 at Mahoning Valley, five furlongs in 1:03.20.

Other notable works Saturday at Laurel were promising stakes-winning sophomore Joe, a winner of three straight, four furlongs in 50.20 seconds; and 3-year-old filly Luna Belle, a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, second-fastest of 57 seconds.

Joe is nominated to the $100,000 Miracle Wood going one mile, the next step in Maryland’s series for 3-year-olds. Luna Belle, a, winner of two straight stakes at Laurel, is expected to run in the $100,000 Wide Country at seven furlongs.

Notes: For the second straight day Saturday, jockey Jaime Rodriguez and trainer Jamie Ness teamed up for a pair of winners – Heartness ($4.40) in Race 1 and Seanow ($9) in Race 8. Ness added a third winner in Race 10 with Hit a Homer Honey ($10.20), completing a riding double for Jevian Toledo, who also scored with Jackie the Joker ($9.40) in Race 4 … There will be carryovers of $8,982.87 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 4-8) and $835.45 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 3-8) for Sunday.