Pocahontas (G3) — Race 9 (9:39 p.m. ET)
The Road to the Kentucky Oaks series begins Saturday with the $300,000 Pocahontas S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. A nice field of 11 fillies is entered for the qualifier, which will award points on a 10-4-2-1 scale, and the 1 1/16-mile race is one of five stakes on the popular “Downs After Dark” program.
The Pocahontas also serves as a “Win & You’re In” for the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar.
Goddess of Fire will be supported following her debut win over maiden special weight rivals at Saratoga. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Mineshaft filly rallied from just off the pace to prevail by a neck, and Javier Castellano picks up the assignment.
Runner-up in June’s Debutante S. at Churchill Downs, Ontheonesandtwos will try to rebound after finishing sixth as the favorite in the Aug. 8 Adirondack (G2) at Saratoga. Norm Casse trains the chestnut daughter of Jimmy Creed, and Ricardo Santana Jr. will take over the reins.
Kneesnhips also has stakes experience, rallying for third in the grassy Bolton Landing S. at Saratoga after a poor start. By Connect, the Tom Amoss-trained filly won the first time out at Ellis Park, and she’ll be running late with James Graham.
Lemieux can’t be dismissed following a four-length maiden tally at Saratoga, and Tyler Gaffalione will be up on the frontrunning Nyquist filly for Mark Casse.
Other runners include last-out maiden scorers Code for Success, Hidden Connection, Majestic d’Oro, Mama Rina, and Maxine Machine.
