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Fair Grounds: Richie Scherer Memorial Rematch
For all intents and purposes, Saturday’s running of the $50,000 Pan Zareta Stakes for older fillies and mares might just as well be called the Richie Scherer Memorial rematch of the split divisions run as the fourth and eighth races going 5 1/2 furlongs over the Stall-Wilson turf course on December 2, 2017.
Triple Chelsea seeks revenge in Pan Zareta
Eight of the eleven horses entered were last seen in one or the other of two races carded honoring Richie who passed away on May 20, 2017 after a long battle with kidney cancer.
Triple Chelsea who finished third as odds on favorite at even money last time out in the first division of the Richie Scherer Memorial, returns needing to make up 3 1/2 lengths on One Last Shot who was second at 15 to 1 in that race.
In the ‘rematch’ neither runner is expected to improve enough to overtake Rapid Rhythm (7 to 2) who notched her sixth win in as many tries over the Stall-Wilson turf course and has eight wins from 14 starts at the distance.
Rapid Rhythm going for seventh win at Fair Grounds
Rapid Rhythm, who was making her first start after a six-month-layoff last time out, will open as the lukewarm favorite at 7 to 2 over runner-up Contributing who finished a 1/2 length back and a nose ahead of Miss Gossip who wore blinkers for the first time.
It’s hard to like a horse who’s making their second start off a layoff. But given that Rapid Rhythm won last time out and is undefeated at Fair Grounds, may be cause enough to forego that rule of handicapping in favor of a return to the winner’s circle for the lightly raced 6YO daughter of Successful Appeal who has nine wins from twenty-three career starts for earnings of $278,000.
Contributing needs a half-length
Contributing who rallied to get second in her first career start at Fair Grounds for trainer Tom Procter (17% winners at the meet), is sitting on back-to-back bullet workouts and only needs a half-length to find her way to the winner’s circle. She’s a 4YO daughter of Megdalia d’Oro with three lifetime victories from eight starts and worked a bullet on November 30 before her rally in the Richie Scherer.
Of the three runners who didn’t compete in the Richie Scherer, Clairenation, Aiken to Be, and Excessivespending, the later two are coming off winning efforts last time out in optional claiming company.
Aiken to Be, who hasn’t been out since July, won her last start going 5f at Arlington on turf. But has failed to reach the winner’s circle in four starts at Fair Grounds and is stepping up in class for the Pan Zareta.
Excessivespending exits a nice winning effort in an optional claiming race on December 10 over the Fair Grounds turf course and was flattered when the show horse from that race returned to win next time out.
