West Point Thoroughbreds’, Robert Masiello’s, and Three C Stable’s Berned makes her first start of the year in Saturday’s $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G2) at Laurel.

The 4-year-old filly made a scintillating last to first move to win the Safely Kept Stakes in November at Laurel.

West Point Thoroughbreds’, Robert Masiello’s, and Three C Stable’s Berned makes her first start of the year in Saturday’s $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G2) at Laurel.

The 4-year-old filly made a scintillating last to first move to win the Safely Kept Stakes in November at Laurel.

Feargal Lynch rode the filly patiently and perfectly, letting her see the entire field down the backstretch before pressing go, making a sweeping move on the turn, and drawing away by over four lengths. Trained by Graham Motion, Berned has never been off the board in a one-turn race and has found her niche as a closing sprinter.

After the Safely Kept, we thought about heading West for the December 26 La Brea Stakes but opted to freshen the filly up and take dead aim on the Fritchie after such a big effort over the surface in the Safely Kept. It took her quite a bit of time to rebound following a trip to California at the end of her 2-year-old season, and there are several grade one opportunities for her this year.

Berned has put in a series of really good works at Palm Meadows in preparation for her seasonal bow. West Point Partners join CMO Dawn Lenert at Laurel this weekend to see their filly try and add a graded stakes win to her resume.

“She obviously likes the track a lot, and Feargal’s got an awful lot of confidence in her, and I think running on that track allows him to kind of let them run away from her early and then come with a run,” trainer Graham Motion said. “I always had her pegged as more of a mile and a quarter-type horse, but the owners always thought she was more of a seven-furlong horse, and it looks like they were right.”

Post time for the Barbara Fritchie is 5:00 pm ET. Berned breaks from six in the field of 11.