Winner of Dixie Belle Tops Hot Springs Field

Two unbeaten fillies and Breezy Macbree, front-running winner of the Dixie Belle, head a field of 11 in Monday’s $50,000-added Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The six-furlong Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies is a major prep for the one-mile Magnolia Stakes on March 11.

The unbeaten fillies are Classy Irene and Fernie Belle.

Classy Irene, owned by W. C. Partee and trained by Lynn Whiting, won the first race of her career by 10 lengths at Chicago in August.

She did not race again until she captured an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 9. Fewer than three weeks later, she won a stakes race in New Orleans.

The daughter of El Baba returned to the races Jan. 28 and was an easy winner of the Thelma Stakes at New Orleans.

Classy Irene, who will carry 116 pounds under the allowance conditions of the race, will be ridden by Pat Day.

The Gerald Romero-trained Fernie Belle won the first race of her career by three lengths last August at Louisiana Downs and then did not race again until she captured an allowance race by more than four lengths Jan. 20 in New Orleans.

Aaron Gryder is to ride Fernie Belle, who will carry 112.

Breezy Macbree will carry 119, and Jon Court is to ride.

Breezy Macbree, an Arkansas-bred purchased for $7,000, never spends a night at the track. Trainer Don Smith has a training track near North Little Rock and vans the daughter of Breezing On to the track on the day of her race.

Included in the field is the John Franks-owned entry of Blissful Union and Inposition, each to carry 122.

Blissful Union has been in the money in nine of her 10 starts. In her last start, she was second to Classy Irene in the Thelma.

Inposition has won six of nine starts, racing mostly in Canada.