From Europe to U.S., Campanelle looks to win Franklin County

Campanelle, a two-time Group 1 winner in Europe, heads a field of 12 fillies and mares entered Sunday for the 25th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Franklin County Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf Friday at Keeneland.

Owned by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Wesley Ward, Campanelle will be making her first start since being unplaced in the Prix de Maurice de Gheest (G1) at Deauville, France, in August. Joel Rosario will have the mount Friday and exit post position 4.

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Also figuring to attract interest are the one-two finishers from last month’s Mint Ladies Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs, In Good Spirits and Catch a Bid.

Bal Mar Equine’s In Good Spirits, trained by Al Stall Jr., scored a two-length victory at Kentucky Downs. In a prior race she was runner-up in the Caress (G3) at Saratoga in July. John Velazquez has the mount on In Good Spirits, who will leave from post position 5.

Highlander Training Center’s Catch a Bid, trained by Joe Sharp, won the West Virginia Senate President’s Cup at Mountaineer in August prior to her Kentucky Downs race. She drew post position 6 and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

The field for the Franklin County (with riders and weights) from the inside is: She’s So Special (Flavien Prat, 120), Ambassador Luna (James Graham, 120), Lagertha (Hector Berrios, 120), Campanelle (Rosario, 122), In Good Spirits (Velazquez, 122), Catch a Bid (Gaffalione, 120), Lead Guitar (Ricardo Santana Jr., 120), Violenza (Chris Landeros, 120), Elle Z (Mitchell Murrill, 120), Yes It’s Ginger (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 120), Signify (Florent Geroux, 120), Change of Control (Colby Hernandez, 122).