OONAGH MACCOOL (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway) and SWEET SYMPHONY (A.P. Indy), the
1-2 finishers in the recent Rampart H. (G2), are top contenders for Friday’s
$300,000
Louisville Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard.
Eight distaffers will square off in the 1 1/16-mile event at Churchill Downs,
and IN THE GOLD (Golden Missile), CAPESIDE LADY (Cape Town) and LEAVE ME ALONE
(Bold Badgett) add further depth to the exciting field.
Oonagh Maccool won her first two starts in Europe but suffered her first
setback when making his U.S. debut last fall on the grass at Aqueduct. The
four-year-old switched to the main track this year for Todd Pletcher with
smashing results, winning an allowance/optional claiming event by eight lengths
before capturing the Rampart by 2 1/2 lengths. She’ll keep Rafael Bejarano in
the saddle. Sweet Symphony opened her racing career last year with four straight
wins, ending her run with a superb 6 1/4-length score in the Alabama S. (G1).
She ended her sophomore campaign with a ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1)
and may have needed a race when returning to the races this year in the March 25
Rampart. Cornelio Velasquez rides the Bill Mott trainee.
Grade 1 winner In the Gold finished second in last year’s Kentucky Oaks.
Grade 2 queen Capeside Lady exits a sharp 3 1/2-length win in her seasonal bow,
the Bayakoa S. at Oaklawn Park. Grade 1 victress Leave Me Alone is a threat on
the front end.
Oonagh Maccool will lead the post parade under a 117-pound impost. Next comes
Capeside Lady, Shaun Bridgmohan, 118; Leave Me Alone, Garrett Gomez, 117; In the
Gold, Corey Nakatani, 117; LA REASON (Labeeb [GB]), Javier Castellano, 114;
PRIVATE GIFT (Unbridled), Robby Albarado, 114; Sweet Symphony, 119; and GALLANT
SECRET (Menifee), Julien Leparoux, 114.
A pair of Grade 3 stakes are also carded. The $100,000
Crown Royal American
Turf (G3), for three-year-olds on the grass at 1 1/16 miles, drew a pair of
colts who were excluded from the Kentucky Derby (G1) due to limited earnings in
SACRED LIGHT (Holy Bull) and MALAMEEZE (Saint Ballado). They’re both slated to
make their turf debuts. Other contenders in the nine-horse field include Palm
Beach S. (G3) victor GO BETWEEN (Point Given), Forerunner S. third TAHOE WARRIOR
(Carson City) and Grade 3 hero STREAM CAT (Black Minnaloushe), who will be
making his first start since finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
(G1).
The $100,000
Aegon Turf Sprint (G3) attracted a full field of 12. MAN OF ILLUSION
(Aus) (Encosta de Lago), who finished a good third following a troubled trip in
his U.S. debut, the Shakertown S. (G3), is one of the main draws. MIGHTY BEAU
(Rainbow Prospect) will seek back-to-back wins in the five-furlong dash, and
Shakertown winner ATTICUS KRISTY (Atticus) must be respected.
Additionally, the $100,000
Alysheba S. and $100,000
Edgewood S. will take
place at Churchill on Friday. A field of 10 is set for the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba,
including PURIM (Dynaformer), WILD DESERT (Wild Rush), GOULDINGS GREEN
(Charismatic) and ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi Pegasus). The Edgewood attracted 10
sophomore fillies for 8 1/2 furlongs on the grass, with PERFORMING DIVA (Storm
Cat), BEAU DARE (Military) and KITTY HAWK (GB) (Danehill Dancer) among the top
contenders.