St. John's River breezes for Fleur de Lis

Dede McGehee's St. John's River, runner-up to Juanita in the Grade 2 La

Troienne on Kentucky Oaks Day, breezed five furlongs at Churchill Downs in 1:01

for trainer Andy Leggio Jr. in preparation for the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes

on June 16. The 37th running of the Fleur de Lis, sending distaffers 1 1/8 miles

on the main track at Churchill Downs, will be run on the Stephen Foster Handicap

Day undercard.

Working under retired jockey Larry Melancon, St. John's River recorded

fractions of :12 3/5, :24 3/5 and :36 3/5 while galloping out six furlongs in

1:14 3/5.

"She went terrific," Leggio said. "She went easy the first half-mile and then

we let her run a bit in the final eighth (of a mile). She's fit and I just have

to keep her fit until the race."

The La Troienne was the second race at Churchill Downs for St. John's River.

The four-year-old bay daughter of Include also finished second in the Grade 1

Kentucky Oaks last spring, just missing on that occasion by a neck.

"Maybe we'll actually win one this time," Leggio grinned.

Bred in Kentucky by Heaven Trees Farm, St. John's River has a career record

of 2-4-1 from eight lifetime starts, highlighted by a victory in the Grade 2

Delaware Oaks. In her only off-the-board finish she was fifth in the Grade 1

Alabama at Saratoga in her final start as a three-year-old.

St. John's River's main rival in the Fleur de Lis could be champion Royal

Delta. The Bill Mott-trained filly captured last year's Breeders' Cup Ladies'

Classic, wrapping up an Eclipse Award-winning campaign that also saw her take

the Alabama and Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan.

The Empire Maker four-year-old is under consideration for the Fleur de Lis

following a troubled ninth-place effort in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup over

Meydan's synthetic Tapeta.

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