SHARP LISA (Dixieland Band) heads a strong field of nine three-year-old
fillies set to run in Friday’s $250,000 Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park. The
chestnut lass began the season with a 1 1/2-length score in the Santa Ynez S.
(G2) and followed that up with a narrow victory in the Las Virgenes S. (G1) last out. She will be making her first start at 1 1/16 miles
this year, a distance in which her best outing to date was a close second in the Alcibiades S. (G2)
in her second career start.
Sharp Lisa will run in the Fantasy
after scratching from last Saturday’s Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland after she
apparently kicked her
stall, injuring her foot.
“We had to scratch from the Ashland because the filly hurt her left hind leg
when she kicked the side of the stall the day before,” trainer Doug O’Neill
said. “She appears to be 100 percent now, so we decided to call an audible and go
to the Fantasy. Let’s hope she runs like the Grade 1 filly she is.”
In order to win her third consecutive victory of the year, however, Sharp
Lisa will have to face accomplished rivals CAPE HOPE (Cape Town) and JILL ROBIN
L (Precocity). Cape Hope is undefeated in her last four starts, all on the turf, including a
victory in the Herecomesthebride S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Jill Robin L exits
a close victory in the Bonnie Miss S. (G2).
The field, with riders and imposts, from the rail out is THE BETER MAN CAN (Lord
Avie), Elvis Perrodin, 117; Cape Hope, Calvin Borel, 121; RUGULA (Bernstein),
Greta Kuntzweiler, 121; ROUND POND (Awesome Again), Stewart Elliot, 121; YANKEE
PENNY (Quiet American), Jose Santos, 117; Jill Robin L, John McKee, 121; SHE
SINGS (Petionville), Jamie Theriot, 121; R LADY JOY (Vicar), Jose Lezcano, 121;
and Sharp Lisa, Garrett Gomez, 121.