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Photo By: Lou Hodges

Baghdaria (inside, partially hidden by French Park) is game in her Silverbulletday victory

BOSSIER CITY, La. (January 14, 2006) Baghdaria outdueled odds-on favorite French Park in the final yards to win in the $269,200 Grade III Silverbulletday on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day at the Fair Grounds meet at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Saturday.

Trained by Bret Calhoun for co-owners Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch, Baghdaria was second virtually throughout the 1 1/16-mile event, trailing Seen Dancing in the early going before French Park took the lead in the stretch.

With Cliff Berry up, Baghdaria battled back on the rail and won by a head. French Park, who was previously unbeaten in three starts, finished second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Capozzene in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies.

"I really thought we were beat at the furlong pole," Berry said, "but she didn't think so."

Said Calhoun of Baghdaria, a daughter of Royal Academy: "We know she has a grass pedigree, but we thought she had a good shot. You're not going to get to run for a quarter-million dollars in a Grade III like this too many times. We thought she fit as well as any other horse in here."

Baghdaria won for the third time in five career starts. She earned $161,520 for the win, nearly four times her earnings as a 2-year-old.

Helen Pitts, who trains French Park, said she will return to her Gulfstream Park base and point for the Bonnie Miss on March 4.

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