Ashland Stakes at Keeneland Race Course

Las Vegas, NV – Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky will be the scene of the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes this Saturday, April 6. Three year old fillies will be featured as they race 1 1/16 miles on Keeneland’s main dirt track for a very nice purse of $500,000 and 100 points toward qualification into the Kentucky Oaks in May.

The Ashland has attracted a full field of 14 with two alternate entries for race 9 on Keeneland’s Saturday card. Post time is 5:13 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all of the combatants for this important Grade 1 points gathering stakes.

Spring in the Air – She put her name on the map with a very good second in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine September 15 and followed that with a very impressive score in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades October 5. Next up was the Breeders’ Cup Fillies where Spring in the Air finished an OK fifth. After a four month layoff she returned March 11 to the OBS Championship (Filly Division) at Ocala Training Center where she finished second to Spring Venture. She is the only Grade 1 winner in the field and is likely the favorite Saturday.

Spring Venture – won her first three career start for trainer Mark Casse including was a nice win in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes October 6 to follow a win in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes over Spring in the Air September 15 and a maiden score August 18 – all at Woodbine. She had a disappointing thirteenth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for her worst career result and followed that with a pedestrian fifth in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes January 26. Last time out was a bounce back effort – a win in the OBS Championship (Filly Division) Stakes at Ocala Training Center March 11 over Spring in the Air. She in one of three graded stake winners in the field and should contend Saturday.

Kitten’s Point – has two wins and two seconds in five career starts for trainer H. Graham Motion and is coming off the best performance of her life so far – a win in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream March 2. Before that was an OK second in an Allowance Optional Claiming February 2 and a distant and uncharacteristic twelfth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Tuttipaesi – Irish bred filly has seven career starts for trainer H. Graham Motion with four wins (two of which came in Italy last year) and two third place finishes. She has just two starts on North American soil – a nice win the minor Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream January 1 was followed by a decent third in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes last time out March 2 also at Gulfstream.

Broken Spell – D. Wayne Lukas pupil finished a respectable sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and followed that with a fifth in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs November 24. Since then she has been up and down – a seven thin the minor Mistletoe Stakes at Remington Park was followed by a pair of thirds – an Allowance Optional Claiming and the minor Martha Washington Stakes – both results at Oaklawn Park. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park March 23 after a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes also at Oaklawn Park March 9.

Magical Moon – Albert Stall trained filly finished a very nice third three back in her third career start – the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades and followed that with a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Fair Grounds February 10. Last time out was a fourth in the Allen LeCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds March2.

Kitten’s Dumplings – Michael Maker trained filly has six career starts and two wins which includes the M2 Technology La Seniority Stakes at Retama Park November 10 and a second place finish which came in an impressive performance last time out in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks right behind Tapicat at Tampa Bay February 2. She has some poor performances as well – a disappointing eleventh in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades in October after a fourth in the Grade 2 Natalma at Woodbine and she had a seventh in the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream January 1 – right before the Florida Oaks.

Nipissing – has four career starts – four wins all at Woodbine. The last two have been in minor stakes action – the South Ocean Stakes November 18 followed a score in the Prince Elizabeth Stakes in October. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday hoping to keep her incredible roll going.

Ashland Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Redressthebalance – Irish bred filly had two wins at home to start her career and then floundered until last time out – an impressive score in the minor California Oaks at Golden Gate February 9. She was eighth three back in her North American debut at the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Golden Gate and followed that with a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming January 19.

Allanah – won the minor Cincinnati Trophy Stakes two back February 2 after breaking maiden in her second career start. Last time out was a second in an Allowance at Turfway Park March 2.

Private Ensign – Dale Romans trained filly has four career starts and won two straight – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream January 25 and a maiden score before that also on this track December 26 before an OK third last time out in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes February 23 at – you guessed Gulfstream. Her debut was a second in a MSW at Churchill Downs November 24.

Wave Theory – Chad Brown trained filly has five career starts with a win, two seconds and a third place finish which came last time out in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks behind Kitten’s Dumplings and Tapicat. The win came in a MSW race at Aqueduct November 18. She finished fifth in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes in October and had a nice second at Gulfstream in the minor Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream January 1 ahead of Mariel N Kathy.

Every Way – is coming off a fourth place finish in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds February 23 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score December 31. She has a MSW score and a decent third in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine among her five career starts as well.

Emollient – Bill Mott trained Emollient has five career starts with two wins and two second place finishes. Last time out was her only poor outing – a fifth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks March 30 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream February 16 and a good second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes as the 4-5 favorite at Aqueduct in November in her stakes debut. She has been at or near the top in all four career starts and could threaten the favorites Saturday.

Adriani – Alternate Entry for the Ashland may race in stakes company for the second time – the first was a tenth place finish in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes in October. Since then she has recorded a second and a third in four start – the second coming last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream and the third coming January 1 in a similar race on that same track.

Cash Is Queen – is the other Alternate Entry for the Ashland and has won both of her two career starts – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Turfway Park February 23 and a MSW at Turfway January 27.

Race 9 on Keeneland Race Course’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:23 PM.