A field of 11 three-year-old fillies was entered on Wednesday for Saturday’s
$100,000
Bourbonette Oaks (G3), the highlight of the Spiral S. (G2) undercard at
Turfway Park, and the winner just may earn a spot in the starting gate for the
May 6 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.
First up on the list of Oaks hopefuls is LILACS AND LACE (Flower Alley),
triumphant in the California Oaks on New Year’s Day. The John Terranova charge
hasn’t been seen in competition since that 8 1/2-furlong event, but has been
working well at Palm Meadows since the beginning of March. The chestnut lass
will be making her graded bow in the Bourbonette Oaks, and will have jockey
Javier Castellano in the saddle for the first time.
While Lilacs and Lace will be trying Turfway’s Polytrack for the first time,
HARLAN’S RUBY (Harlan’s Holiday) is returning to the site of her Valdale S.
victory on February 26. That was the bay filly’s first start since finishing
eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and she was also second in
the Alcibiades S. (G1) last season. Perry Ouzts has the call on the Ken McPeek
runner.
In order behind Harlan’s Ruby in the Valdale were KITTEN’S DANCER (Kitten’s
Joy), JELLY CABLE (Sky Mesa), ANGELICA ZAPATA (Sharp Humor) and TOUCH SCREEN
(Bandini), and those four return for another shot at their rival. Kitten’s
Dancer and Jelly Cable both entered the Valdale off nice debut maiden wins,
while Angelica Zapata was trying to pad her resume after taking the Cincinnati
Trophy S. by 5 1/2 lengths on January 22. Touch Screen also tried the Valdale
off a maiden score, taking a mile Polytrack contest on January 14.
Other contenders in the Bourbonette Oaks include SUMMER SOIREE (War Front), a
dominant 9 3/4-length victress against allowance rivals at Oaklawn Park last
out, and PROUD HOUSE (Proud Citizen), who’s captured her last two over track and
distance.
Two races prior to the Bourbonette Oaks, seven distaffers will take to the
track for the $50,000
Queen S.
going six furlongs. HYPERLINK (Toccet) is taking a slight drop in class here
after running fourth in the Sabin S. (G3) on February 19 and should enjoy the
cutback in distance off that one-mile event. The McPeek charge captured her
initial two races this year, including the Manatee S. sprinting seven furlongs
at Tampa Bay Downs.
Among Hyperlink’s competition in the Queen S. is MIDST (Closing Argument),
who racked up three straight scores on the Polytrack at Keeneland and Woodbine
before finishing fourth on Monmouth Park’s dirt when last seen contesting the
Just Smashing S. on May 31.
Right after the Queen S., 12 sophomore sprinters will go six furlongs in the
$50,000
Hansel S. The race features the return of MURJAN (Officer), a dominate Group
1 winner in Peru before suffering his first career loss when 10th and last in
the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last out. Also entered is Turfway Prevue S.
scorer INHISGLORY (Pure Prize), fourth most recently in the Black Gold S. at
Fair Grounds.