St. John’s River likely Breeders’ Cup bound

St. John’s River could make a return trip to Churchill for the Breeders’ Cup in the fall (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

Dede McGehee’s homebred St. John’s River was bucking and
playing in her stall Saturday morning, looking nothing like one would
expect from a filly who passed every horse but one while weaving through
the field in a million-dollar race. The bay lass recorded her third
straight runner-up finish when just missing in Friday’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks
at Churchill Downs.

“Look at her,” trainer Andy Leggio Jr. said at Barn 43 as St. John’s
River watched another horse walking around the barn. “She’s peeved
that’s not her out there doing that. She’s in great shape.”

St. John’s River came within a neck of catching winner Plum Pretty,
thanks in large part to a heady rail trip under 23-year-old jockey Rosie
Napravnik that drew comparisons to vintage Calvin Borel.

“She gave her a great ride,” Leggio said. “When she cut that corner
turning for home I thought, we’re going to win this race. But we just
couldn’t get there.”

With a better start St. John’s River very well could have won the race, but
she spotted the field a few lengths by breaking to the right from her outside
post.

“I think it was because she went in last and they rang the bell
before she got settled,” Leggio said. “She went out a little bit and
that probably cost her a length just getting her straight. I think if
she breaks straight she wins by two or three lengths, but that’s racing
and that goes with the territory.”

St. John’s River just fell short of an Oaks victory (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

“I wanted to get through this one first but now that this race is
over and I know the kind of horse she is I’m thinking Breeders’ Cup and
I’m going to try to keep her happy and healthy until that race.

The 2011 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will return to Churchill
Downs for the second consecutive year and a record eighth time overall
on November 4-5.

“That’s the time of the year when they run against older horses. Once
you get to September, October, November, it’s no problem,” Leggio said.
“We’ll run her in a little race here and there but we want to make it
easy on her until the big race comes along.”

St. John’s River will leave Louisville by van late Sunday afternoon for
Leggio’s summer base at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.