STARDOM BOUND (Tapit), winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
(G1) and reigning two-year-old filly champion, headlines 120 nominees to
Keeneland’s $400,000 Ashland S. (G1), which is scheduled for April 4.
Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Ashland is a premier prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1)
on May 1. Since 1936, 31 fillies have used the Ashland as a steppingstone to
victory in the Oaks. Last year, Eclipse Award-winning filly Proud Spell (Proud
Citizen) rebounded off a third-place finish in the Ashland to win the Oaks,
while Ashland winner Little Belle (A.P. Indy) ran second in the Oaks.
Stardom Bound, who races in the colors of IEAH Stables, Paul Pompa Jr.,
Michael Dubb and Golden Goose Enterprises LLC, won three Grade 1 in five starts
at two, including the Del Mar Debutante and Oak Leaf, in addition to the
aforementioned Breeders Cup. The gray miss has accumulated more than $1.6
million in earnings, including the winner’s share of the Las Virgenes S. (G1)
when making her three-year-old debut at Santa Anita on February 7 most recently.
While Stardom Bound is being pointed for a tilt at the Kentucky Derby (G1)
instead of the Oaks, IHEA Stables, along with partners Gary Tolchin and Pegasus
Holding Group Stables, have also nominated LARAGH (Tapit) to the Ashland in
advance of her try in the Oaks. Winner of the Hollywood Starlet (G1) and
Keeneland’s Jessamine S. last fall, the gray filly was third in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last season.
Among the other accomplished three-year-old fillies nominated to the Ashland
are Livin the Dream Racing’s DREAM EXPRESS (Bernstein) and Puglisi Racing’s SKY
DIVA (Sky Mesa), who finished second and third, respectively, to Stardom Bound
in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies; Halo Farms and Three Sisters
Thoroughbreds’ EVITA ARGENTINA (Candy Ride [Arg]), queen of the San Vicente S.
(G2) against the boys and one of only two fillies to have beaten Stardom Bound;
Lael Stables’ FROLIC’S DREAM (Smoke Glacken), victress of the Forward Gal S.
(G2) and headed for Sunday’s Davona Dale S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park; WAR ECHO
(Tapit), winner of the Silverbulletday S. (G3); L and M Partners’ RACHEL
ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro), an eight-length scorer of the Martha Washington S.
in her sophomore bow; and Godolphin Racing’s DEVOTEE (Elusive Quality), heroine
of Thursday’s U.A.E. Oaks in Dubai.
A complete list of nominations to the 72nd running of the Ashland is
available at www.keeneland.com.