Irish Maxima dominates in historic Barbara Fritchie S.

Irish Maxima, a 4-year-old Maximus Mischief filly, was at her best once again in Saturday’s $200,000 Barbara Fritchie S. at Laurel Park, going gate-to-wire to score her fifth win in her last six starts, three of them in stakes races.

As is her custom, Irish Maxima went right to the front at the break of the seven-furlong race, setting fractions of :23.14 and :46.55. She came into the stretch with a two-length lead and was never threatened down the lane, winning by that margin in 1:25.38 over a “good” track that was sealed.

“She’s got so much speed, and she does it like she’s going so easily,” jockey Frankie Pennington said. “The turn of foot is amazing on her. She’s the kind of filly that she waits for that fight, too. Once they come to her, she’s going to kick on again.”

Bred in Kentucky by Pillar Property Services, Irish Maxima out of stakes-winner Palace Pier. Owned by Irish Three Racing, Irish Maxima has won seven of 10 lifetime starts and banked $419,915. Her prior stakes wins came in the Mrs. Claus S. Dec. 24 at Parx, where she won by 13 ¾-lengths, and the Sept. 22 Weather Vane S. at Laurel.

With a trio of stakes winners and four stakes horses this year, Maximus Mischief leads the 2025 Third-Crop sire list in both categories. He is standing this year at Spendthrift Farm for $15,000 S&N.