Flattering Bea Needs Hot Sugar Maple Pace

James Arrison’s homebred Flattering Bea, a stakes winner locally, will hope for a quick early pace when she faces nine other fillies and mares in the $200,000 Sugar Maple Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races April 19.

The seven-furlong Sugar Maple, which is presented by CANTER Mid-Atlantic, is one of four open stakes on the Saturday evening program highlighted by the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic (gr. II). It is scheduled as race 12 with a post time of 9:45 p.m. EDT.

The first race on the 14-race program is set for 5 p.m. The Classic goes at 10:30 p.m.

The Sugar Maple, won last year by the top sprinter Dance to Bristol, also attracted Miller Racing’s My Pal Chrisy, a winner of $836,168 and the probable favorite. In her last start March 22 My Pal Chrisy, who is also entered in the $200,000 Distaff Handicap (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack, finished second in the grade II Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Flattering Bea, a Kentucky-bred 4-year-old filly by Flatter   out of the Wild Rush mare Wild Bea, has three wins in four starts at Charles Town. She won the Miss Shenandoah Stakes at the West Virginia track two years ago as well as two allowance races.

Trained by Crystal Pickett, Flattering Bea is a late runner who finished second in allowance company in her most recent start March 15 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort. Based on past performances there could be a contested pace in the Sugar Maple, which is run around two turns on the three-quarter-mile racing surface.

Garry Cruise is named to ride at 118 pounds from post 8.

My Pal Chrisy, a 6-year-old mare bred in Florida by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds and trained by Marty Wolfson, will make her 47th career start April 19. She shows no wins at the distance but has won going shorter or longer for a total of 11 wins, eight seconds, and nine thirds.

Joel Rosario will ride My Pal Chrisy (by Alex's Pal out of the Strike the Anvil mare Strike South) at 120 pounds from post 2.

Because she is the only stakes winner in 2014, the 123-pound highweight is Howard Bender’s homebred More Than a Cruise. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred mare by More Than Ready   out of the Not For Love   mare River Cruise won the state-bred Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park in her last start March 22 and has two wins and two seconds in four starts at seven furlongs.

Julian Pimentel gets the call from post 5 for trainer Larry Murray.