In last year’s Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Godolphin brought a battle-tested 3-year-old filly named Pretty Mischievous off a win in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2). Although finishing second, it set Pretty Mischievous up well to win the Kentucky Oaks (G1) six weeks later and eventually be named Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly.
This year, Godolphin hopes history repeats itself with a slight tweak in the results of the final prep: taking the winner’s share of the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks purse March 23.
Brad Cox had Tarifa ready for her stakes debut Feb. 17 in the Rachel Alexandra. Settling in mid-pack, she kicked for home in the slop to score an easy 2 3/4-length victory. The Bernardini homebred has banked $278,925 from her three wins in four starts.
Video: Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2)
Holding a 2-for-2 record at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Tarifa will be a formidable foe. Three of the fillies she beat in the mud of the Rachel Alexandra return for a rematch including her stakes-winning Cox stablemate Alpine Princess , who was fourth after pressing the pace. Alpine Princess is cross-entered in the Bourbonette Oaks the same night at Turfway Park.
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The rest of the Pretty Mischievous team, trainer Brendan Walsh and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, team up with Intricate . An impressive 5 1/4-length winner of the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs, the Gun Runner filly returned from a freshening with a solid second in the Rachel Alexandra.
Starting in the back of the six-horse field, Intricate made a nice rally while swinging wide into the stretch. Tarifa got the jump on her, but she proved a return to her 2-year-old success by defeating the rest.
Owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes, and Cambron Equine, Intricate has earned $362,180.
V V’s Dream looked like a star in the making for MJM Racing and Magdalena Racing early in her 2-year-old year with a victory in the 2023 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs and runner-up finish in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. However, her last two races have left much to be desired.
Beaten just more than nine lengths in both the Oct. 29 Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs and last out in the Rachel Alexandra, the shine on the daughter of Mitole was covered by the mud she raced on both times. Never worse than second on a fast track, a sunny day could help determine where V V’s Dream stands in the division for the remainder of the year.
While V V’s Dream has struggled over the mud, Courtlandt Farms’ Our Pretty Woman has flourished. With both career starts coming over a sloppy track, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro has easily won both by a combined 7 1/2 lengths. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the filly makes her stakes debut with a spot in the Kentucky Oaks on the line.
The winner will be the first filly to earn 100 points to the May 3 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. The next four finishers will earn points on a 50-25-15-10 scale.
The Fair Grounds Oaks is race 11 with a post time of 5:08 p.m. CT.
Entries: Fair Grounds Oaks Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2)
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, March 23, 2024, Race 11
- Grade II
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $400,000
- 3 yo Fillies
- 5:08 PM (local)
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