Stopchargingmaria Makes 2015 Debut in Madison

Two-time grade I winner Stopchargingmaria is scheduled to make her 2015 debut April 4 in the $350,000 Madison Stakes (gr. I) on the opening weekend card at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington.



Stopchargingmaria, owned by Town and Country Farms Corp., will break from the 3 post under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.



Also included among the six fillies and mares entered in the seven-furlong Madison, one of five graded stakes on the card highlighted by the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), are recent grade II winner Lady Sabelia and La Brea Stakes (gr. I) winner Sam's Sister.



Previously raced by breeder Mike Repole's Repole Stable, Stopchargingmaria has six wins, two seconds, and one third in 11 starts and earned $1,494,000 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat   tallied three consecutive victories in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II), Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), and Alabama Stakes (gr. I) last year before completing the campaign when second to Belle Gallantey in the Beldame Invitational (gr. I) in her first start against older fillies and mares.



Stopchargingmaria was subsequently consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as a racing/broodmare prospect to the Nov. 3 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale, where she was bought back at $3.15 million.



Lady Sabelia, owned and bred by Ginny Wright, led all the way to win the Feb. 14 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (gr. II) at Laurel Park, her fourth consecutive victory and first attempt in graded stakes company.



Trained by Robin Graham, Lady Sabelia has finished unplaced only once in 14 starts, with eight wins and $518,465 in earnings. Previous to the Barbara Fritchie, the 5-year-old Majestic Warrior   mare rolled to victory in the Willa On the Move Stakes Dec. 28 and rated kindly before kicking in to win an allowance at 3-10 odds.



A 4-year-old daughter of Brother Derek, Sam's Sister, the Madison topweight at 123 pounds, has won five of seven starts during a career that did not begin until last summer at age 3. After winning her first three starts, the Kentucky-bred trained by Jerry Hollendorfer hopped at the start and eventually finished eighth, 5 1/4 lengths behind winner Home Journey, in an allowance-optional claming race over a good turf at Del Mar. She returned a month later to rally while four-wide for a half-length victory in the La Brea.



In the Jan. 19 Santa Monica (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park, Sam's Sister again rallied while wide for a 1 1/4-length triumph. In her most recent outing, the Barbara Fritchie, the filly raced wide in the turn and was unable to make up ground, finishing fourth.



Also coming out of the Barbara Fritchie is Princess Violet, who finished a game second to Lady Sabelia. A Barry Schwartz homebred trained by Linda Rice, the 4-year-old daughter of Officer won the Empire Distaff Handicap for New York-breds last October and completed her season with a second in the Go for Wand Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Princess Violet has won four of nine starts, with four seconds, including a second, 9 1/4 lengths behind champion Untapable, in the Mother Goose Stales (gr. I).



Completing the field are Wedding Toast and Clearly Confused.

Among the previous winners of the Madison, now in its 14th renewal, have been champion female sprinters Groupie Doll, Judy the Beauty, and Informed Decision.