HORSE RACING

Kentucky Oaks Undercard Stakes Advances for 5/6/22

Shedaresthedevil seeks a second straight win in the Grade 1 La Troienne. (Coady Photography)

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La Troienne Post Positions Horse and Morning Line Odds
1 Jilted Bride (6-1)
2 Shedaresthedevil (6-5)
3 Temper Time (12-1)
4 Battle Bling (6-1)
5 She's All Wolfe (12-1)
6 Pauline's Pearl (2-1)
7 Ava's Grace (15-1)

Shedaresthedevil Aims to Defend Her Title in La Troienne

(Edited Press Release)

Shedaresthedevil, the 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner who is undefeated in five starts at Churchill Downs, will face seven rivals on May 6 as she attempts to defend her title in the 37th running of the $750,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16-miles on the main track.

The La Troienne will go as the day’s sixth race with a 1:26 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time on the 13-race program that is highlighted by the 148th running of the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1). Racing begins at 10:30 a.m.

Owned by the partnership of Whisper Hill Farm, Qatar Racing Limited and Flurry Racing Stables, Shedaresthedevil won last year’s La Troienne for one of two Grade 1 victories on her 2021 resume. Trained by two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Daredevil returned to the races in March after a four-month layoff and finished third in the Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park. Regular rider Florent Geroux will be aboard and break from post position No. 2.

Among the top threats to Shedaresthedevil in the La Troienne is graded stakes winner Pauline’s Pearl. The daughter of Tapit won the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) in her seasonal bow on Jan. 30 and was second in the Azeri Stakes, beaten just three-quarters of a length by champion Ce Ce.

"It would mean a tremendous amount for her to get her grade 1 victory in the La Troienne with her family and connections and what a special mare she is," said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Pauline’s Pearl.

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Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods’ Olympiad and Wertheimer and Frere’s Happy Saverheadline a compact field of 8 runners for Friday’s 19th running of the $500,000 Alysheba Stakes (G2) to be run at 1 1/16-miles on the main track.

Trained by Bill Mott, Olympiad brings a three-race win streak into the Alysheba including daylight victories in the Mineshaft (G3) and New Orleans Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds in his past two starts.

Happy Saver will make his return to the races for trainer Todd Pletcher after closing 2021 with a narrow setback to Maxfield in the Clark (G1) at Churchill. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount Friday and break from post position seven.

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Godolphin’s homebred Matareya, an 8 ½-length winner of the Beaumont (G3) at Keeneland in her most recent start, headlines a field of 10 3-year-old fillies for Friday’s 67th running of the $500,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) going seven furlongs on the main track.

Trained by Brad Cox, Matareya will be ridden by Flavien Prat and will break from post position 8. In her lone Churchill Downs start, Matareya finished second in last fall’s Fern Creek behind Marissa’s Lady whom she will face again Friday.

Owned by the Boone Family Trust and the Tillema Family Trust, Marissa’s Lady has won five of six career starts and is two-for-two at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bill Morey, Marissa’s Lady will break from post position 3 and be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.

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Robert LaPenta’s Dolce Zel (FR), the 1-2 finishers in last month’s Appalachian (G2) at Keeneland, headline a field of 10 3-year-old fillies for the 38th running of the $500,000 Edgewood Stakes (G2) going 1 1/16-miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Dolce Zel, one of three runners in the race for trainer Chad Brown, won the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in March in her U.S. debut prior to her run in the Appalachian. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount Friday and will break from post position 5.

The field for the Edgewood, with riders from the rail out, is: Tap Dancing Lady (Albin Jiminez); My Philly Twirl(Julien Leparoux); McKulick (Flavien Prat); Kneesnhips (James Graham); Dolce Zel (FR) (Irad Ortiz Jr.); An Agent Mistake (Mario Gutierrez); Beechnut Trophy (Tyler Gaffalione); Spicer (Jose Ortiz); New Year’s Eve (Luis Saez); Dream Lith (Ramon Vazquez).

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Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, D P Racing and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Diamond Oops will attempt to become the first two-time winner of the $500,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) when he headlines a field of 13 for the 28th running of the 5 ½-furlong race over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Winner of this race in 2020, Diamond Oops finished fourth in last year’s running. He returned to the grass in his most recent start, a fourth-place finish in the Shakertown (GII) at Keeneland behind the brilliant Golden Pal. Florent Geroux has the mount Friday and will break from post position 7.

The two horses that finished in front of Diamond Oops at Keeneland also are in the Turf Sprint field in Johnny Unleashed and Gear Jockey.

Johnny Unleashed, owned by Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, H & H Horses and Joseph Mills, finished second in the Shakertown as a 70-1 proposition. Trained by Eric Foster, Johnny Unleashed will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales.

Calumet Farm’s Gear Jockey, winner of the Turf Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs last summer and five times graded stakes placed on the turf, is trained by Rusty Arnold. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount Friday and will break from post position 8.

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Peter Brant’s undefeated Bleecker Street, winner of the Hillsborough (G2) and Endeavour (G3) in her past two starts, heads a field of 9 fillies and mares for the 65th running of the $250,000 Modesty Stakes (G3) going 1 1/8-miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Modesty will go as the day’s fifth race with a 12:43 p.m. post time.

Trained by Chad Brown, Bleecker Street will have the saddle services of Flavien Prat and break from post position 8.

The field for the Modesty, with riders from the rail out, is: Fluffy Socks (Irad Ortiz Jr.); Stand Tall (Florent Geroux); Mona Stella (Tyler Gaffalione); She Can’t Sing (Javier Castellano); Lake Lucerne (Mickael Barzalona); Hendy Woods(Jose Ortiz); Curly Ruth (Luis Saez); Bleecker Street (Prat); Pass the Plate (Brian Hernandez Jr.