Control System, Oprah Winney square off in Barbara Fritchie

Grade 3 winner CONTROL SYSTEM (Lion Hearted) and defending champion OPRAH

WINNEY (Royal Academy) will face-off for a third straight time in Saturday's

$300,000 Barbara Fritchie H. (G2) at Laurel Park. The seven-furlong test has

drawn a well-matched field of 10.

The duo first met in the Garland of Roses H. in early December, and then

again in the Interborough H. at Aqueduct on New Year's Day, with Control System

taking each event while her opponent ran third. The Michael Trombetta charge has

scored in five of her seven lifetime starts, including the Cicada S. (G3) last

March. Her two losses came as thirds in stakes at Monmouth and Belmont, and

because of her excellent record, the four-year-old will have to tote the

co-highweight of 120 pounds, which includes jockey Julian Pimentel.

Oprah Winney will also have to carry 120 pounds, but is looking for her first

win since taking the Schenectady H. by 3 1/4 lengths in early September. In her

next

start, the Richard Dutrow trainee tried the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, but

was unable to challenge over the sloppy track on that occasion. The gray

five-year-old will get a jockey switch to Pablo Fragoso as she tries to emulate her three-quarter of a length victory

in last year's edition.

GOLDEN DAWN (Hennessy) will be stretching out to seven furlongs for the first

time in this spot, but was a dominating six-length winner of the Fiesta Lady S.

at Aqueduct in early January. Other contenders include KARAKORUM

STARLET (Skip Away), who was second to Control System in the Interborough prior

to capturing the Ruby Rubles S., and MORE ANGELS (Slew of Angels), who was

sandwiched between Control System and Oprah Winney when second in the Garland of

Roses two back.

TAKE A CHECK (Touch Gold) drew the rail post under a 113-pound impost that

includes jockey Nick Santagata. Next in the gate will be BABY BIRD (Cape Town),

Horacio Karamanos, 113; FOR KISSES (Not For Love), Rosie Napravnik, 114; Golden

Dawn, Channing Hill, 114, DEVIL HOUSE (Chester House), C.C. Lopez, 113;

Karakorum Starlet, Jeremy Rose, 115; More Angels, Mike Luzzi, 115; Control

System; Oprah Winney; and ALL GIVING (Allen's Prospect), Erick Rodriguez, 113.

Two races earlier on Laurel's Saturday program, a field of seven will line up

in the $95,000

John B. Campbell H.

Grade 3 winner NAUGHTY NEW YORKER (Quiet

American) and multiple stakes hero NITE LIGHT (Thunder Gulch) are the top draws

in the nine-furlong test, with the former coming off a win in the Alex M. Rob H.

in his 2007 finale. The Pat Kelly-trained six-year-old will be making his Laurel

debut in this spot after racing almost exclusively in New York during his

40-race career. Nite Light has ran up a 4-2-0 line from seven career starts, and

will bring a three-race win skein into the Campbell. The Todd Pletcher charge

was last seen taking the Gallant Fox H. by a dominating 10 lengths.