Ageless, Free as a Bird face off again in Franklin County

Separated by less than a length after 5 1/2 furlongs in the Giant's Causeway

last April, Ageless and Free as a Bird will meet again over the Keeneland turf

Friday in the $100,000

Franklin County, a dash for fillies and mares that

attracted a full field of 14 plus two also-eligibles.

Ageless was an 8-1 chance when she defeated the 9-1 Free as a Bird by

three-quarters of a length on April 19, and both mares have gone undefeated on

turf since then. Ageless followed up her win with scores in the $100,000 The

Very One at Pimlico and in the Royal North, a six-furlong, Grade 3 event at

Woodbine. Switched to Tapeta for her most recent start, the Arnaud Delacour

trainee finished third of 10 in the Presque Isle Downs Masters.

Free as Bird has reeled off four straight stakes wins for trainer Ian Wilkes,

taking the License Fee and Intercontinental at Belmont Park, followed by the

Caress and Smart and Fancy at Saratoga, all worth $100,000.