Full Field In For Louisiana Oaks

One of the highlight races in Louisiana this weekend is the mile and one sixteenth Louisiana Oaks (G2) for three year old fillies. The race will be the fifteenth on the card immediately following the All Saints Derby, which will feature as a Derby lock prep for the Bluegrass Derby later this year. But here in the Louisiana Oaks it will be the fillies chance to shine and their prep for the Grade I races further down along the road. Despite a very slight risk of rain earlier in the week, it looks as though the storm will pass the track by this weekend and the dirt course will be listed as fast at post time. The question of the weather and condition of the track didn’t seem to deter the field any as a total of fourteen horses have entered into the race. Lets take a look at the fillies that are in this years running of the Louisiana Oaks.

First up and drawing the rail is Energised (JPN) (French Deputy x Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Kris S.), who is out of the stakes-placed dam Giantessa (IRE), and is owned and trained by fittler, owner of Ozsteve Stables. The bay filly has had a total of nine lifetime starts, more than most of the other fillies in Saturdays race. Five of these starts have ended in wins for the brown Japanese-bred filly. Her most recent start came last month during the eight and a half furlong listed Folie A Deux Handicap where the filly broke out of the start gate and moved into fourth, just off the pace of the front three horses. In the turn the filly was urged forward to challenge for the lead and she came off in the stretch with a narrow lead and then pulled away to win in her second start in the 2008 by two and a half lengths with a lifetime best speed figure of ninety seven. This filly looks like she is the top of her game for this race on Saturday and she may very well be a filly to beat in the race with a lifetime record of fourth being her worst career finish.

In the number two slot is Equivocations (Dynaformer x Seeking The Gold x Deputy Ministier), who is trained by bunsay, owner of More Evil Than The Evil Empire. This beautiful three year old mare has had a total of seven lifetime starts so far in her short racing career. Three times the filly has crossed the wire in the lead, winning her races. All of the fillies starts, and consequently all of her top finishes, have been over the dirt. Her most recent start came in the eight and a half furlong Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) where the filly broke out of the gate and was held back in tenth early on in the race. She began to pick off other horses early on in the race but only managed a sixth place finish in her first race of the 2008 season. And though this sixth place finish was one of only two out of the money finishes four the filly, it was also her lifetime best speed figure, a recorded ninety-seven. The fillies last two starts haven’t been eye-opening but the filly has never finished worse than sixth in any race during her career. Interestingly, the filly seems to find her best stride over the mud as she has yet to finish off the board over this surface.

Following will be Attack Force (Ghostzapper x Forty Niner x Storm Cat), who is owned by jonsnow, owner of Given Stables. This bay filly out of the up and coming sire Ghostzapper had had a total of seven lifetime career starts. The filly has won four times in her career, all times on the dirt. Her most recent start came last month during the eight and a half furlong listen North Stock Stakes. Here the filly broke out of the starting gate and was held back in mid pack by jockey T. Hansen but was sent forward to pick off other horses early on in the race. In the turn the filly was up into third and then she was flying down the stretch, easily passing by other horses and once again crossing the wire victorious, defeating her opposition by one and three fourth lengths. Thought the filly has never raced against graded stakes caliber horses thus far in her career, she has won an impressive four straight races and has as top lifetime speed figure of ninety-seven and could be a horse to watch in the Louisiana Oaks if she adjusts well to the step up in class.

Next in the field is Purple Crayon (Cryptoclearance x Vice Regent x Al Hattab), who is owned by seedly, owner of UFO Testing Center. This bay filly has had a total of seven career starts so far in her racing campaign and has won a total of three of these starts so far in her career. All of these three wins, in addition to two place finishes and one show has come on the dirt for the young bay filly. Her most recent start came in the eight and a half furlong listed La Frisco (IRE) Stakes where the filly broke out of the gate in eighth and went on to challenge other horses early on in the ace. The filly ultimately won the start by one and three-fourths length while equaling a personal best speed figure of ninety-one which she also attained in her previous start, an allowance caliber race in Delaware. The filly has never finished out of the money in any of her races and hasn’t finished off the board in her last three starts. Perhaps the biggest question with his filly is how will she take to graded competition. This Saturday will mark the fillies first attempt at graded stakes competition thus far in her racing career.

Next will be a late entry in Metabolator (IRE) (Ivan Denisovich (IRE) x Dixieland Band x Cryptoclearance) who is out of the dam Ipyana Hollandia, and is owned by seanbrow2, owner of Seanbrow2 Stables. The dark brown filly has had a total of six lifetime starts in her career, in which an impressive half of them have ended in wins along with a third place finish. Her most recent start came in February during the eight furlong listed Ms. Prospector Challenge where the filly broke out of the gate in third and then battled head to head just off the pace, ultimately settling for fourth. The fillies last graded start came in the Mother Story Handicap (G1) and resulted in a ninth place finish. We’ll see what the filly can do this Saturday.

Att odds of 7/1 is Miss Hennypenny (Hennessy x A.P. Indy x Miswaki), who is out of the Graded stakes winning dam A.P. Strawberry, and is trained by simond2, owner of Hornedfrog Stables. The bay filly has had a total of twelve lifetime career starts so far early in her 2008 racing reason. Of these the brown filly has won three of her starts, two of which have come over the dirt. Her most recent start came last month in the eight and a half furlong listed Rotten Ant (NZ) Challenge where the filly broke out of the gate in fourth and hung back until the stretch when she was urged forward late. The filly came up finishing second while setting a speed figure of ninety-three, duplicating the speed figure she ran earlier in the year during the Santa Jezelbel Stakes (G3). Though the majority of the fillies races have come over the dirt the filly has perhaps had her best record, though not necessarily her best speed figures, over the turf. Of the two turf starts the filly has had, she finished first and second.

Following will be Distorted Bid (Distorted Humor x A.P. Indy x Spectacular Bid), who is trained and owned by pointblank, owner of Right At Home Stables. The bay filly has had a total of nine lifetime starts so far in her racing career. Of these the filly has won a total of three of her starts. All of these wins, in addition to all her other on the board finishes have come over a dirt track. The fillies mot recent start came in the eight and a half furlong Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) where the filly broke out of the gate and was held just off the pace in fifth. However, the filly continued to drop back throughout the race and ultimately finished eighth in the race while setting a speed figure of ninety-four. The fillies best finish in a graded race so far has been second when she ran a ninety-seven speed figure on the Santa Jezebel Stakes (G3) in January. The filly has been a little hit and miss so far in this early three-year-old season, but she is more than capable of giving the other fillies a run for their money if she has her day.

Next up is Pomeroy’s Quest (Pomeroy x Coronado’s Quest x Wild Again), who is trained by pointblank, owner of Right At Home Stables. The chestnut Florida-bred filly has had ten starts so far in her racing career. To date the filly has won two of her starts, placed in four and ran for the show position in another two. The fillies most recent start came last month in the Circusham Derby (G1) where the horse broke out of the gate to the far outside and was pulled back to settle into the twelfth spot. The filly didn’t make a move until the stretch but still managed to get up into second and set a speed figure of ninety-five. To date the filly has not finished out of the money in any of her races and has not finished off the board in her last eight starts. The ninety-five speed figure record in the Circusham Derby (G1) was a lifetime best for the filly.

Drawing the ninth post is Schitzngiggle (Gone West x Northern Dancer x Buckpasser), who is trained and owned by peeps3, owner of Cobra Kai Racing Stables. The bay Kentucky-bred filly has had a total of eight lifetime starts so far in her racing career. Three times the filly has crossed the wire in front to win, all of which has come over the dirt. The fillies most recent start came last month during the eight furlong listed Ms. Prospector Challenge where the filly broke out of the gate and went straight for the lead. The filly led the field by a maximum of one and one-fourth lengths throughout the race but was caught in the stretch by late chargers, and despite setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-three, crossed the wire three and three-fourth lengths back in third. The filly may be a bit of a question as the this Saturday will mark the fillies first taste against graded stakes competition, however, the filly has been developing nicely the past few months of her racing career.

Next is Street Action (ENG) (Motivator (GB) x Street Cry (IRE) x Nureyev), who is out of the race-winning dam Cyrrius Street (IRE). The chestnut filly has had a total of nine lifetime starts so far in her racing career. Three of these starts have resulted in wins for the chestnut England-bred horse. All of these wins have come over a dirt track for the young filly. Her most recent start came in January during the Sunny Florida (G1) where the filly broke out of the gate and was held back in seventh. She was urged forward in turn and went on to finish fifth in the race with a speed figure of ninety-four. The filly hasn’t been spectacular in her two graded starts to date but has still managed to finish in the money in both of the graded starts so far in her career. She has however, been very impressive in listed stakes and allowance caliber races so far in her career. Given time the filly may mature into a successful graded stakes runner and this Saturday may be her moment to break through on the scene as a top graded stakes horse.

In the eleventh slot is Minees (Kafwain x Upper Nile x Shelter Half), who is owned by shamran5, owner of Shamran Stables. The three year old bay filly has had a total of fife races so far in her short racing career. Three of these races have ended in victory for the bay filly, along with a single place finish. All of the on the board finishes for the filly have come over the dirt. The fillies most recent start came last month urging the eight and a half furlong Vermont is 4 Lovers (G1) where the filly broke out of the gate and was shuffled back into ninth, an uncharacteristic position for the filly who usually liked to run towards the lead on pace with the top three front runners. The filly continued to drop back during the race and ultimately finished last in her only start as a three year old. However, as a two year old the filly had been virtually undefeatable, finishing behind another horse only once in her starts as a two year old. Shamran5 is banking on the possibility that the filly had a bad out during the Vermont is 4 Lovers (G1) in February and that she will turn her three year old career around here in the Louisiana Oaks.

At 12/1 is Mambo Prayer (Kingmambo x Seattle Slew x Nijinsky II), who is trained by pazstables, owner of PazJazz Music City Stables. The chestnut three year old filly has had a total of eight lifetime starts and has recorded two wins into her belt so far in her racing career. Her most recent start came this past February in the eight furlong listed West The Escort Handicap where the filly broke out of the gate and went straight to the lead. However, her lead was short lived as she gave way to another filly pressing for the lead on her inside and eventually faltered in the stretch to finish seventh. However, this start in the West The Escourt Handicap has been one of the fillies few poor starts in her career. Interestingly however, the fillies only two lifetime wins have both come over off-dirt tracks. Despite her perhaps more impressive showing on off-tracks the filly has managed to finish in the money in every start of her career with the exception of the West The Escourt Handicap and her maiden debut race, which came over the turf.

Next is the favorite Black Flag Flying (A.P. Indy x Forty Niner x Blushing Groom (FR)), who is owned by simsters1, owner of The Evil Empire. This bay filly has had a total of just six career starts so far in her lifetime. Four of these starts eventually ended in wins for the filly. All of these wins, in addition to two second place finishes came on the dirt. Her most recent start came last month in the eight and a half furlong Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1). The filly came out of the gate slowly and settled back into eleventh, though only six and one-fourth lengths off the pace of the race leader. The filly made her move in the stretch and went on the far outside and snuck up into fifth. She went around horses but eventually ran out of ground and crossed under the wire in second with a speed figure of one hundred three. Prior to this start the spectacular bay filly had won a total of five races straight. To date the filly has also never finished off the board in any race of her lifetime. Her worse race to date was her maiden debut when she finished second, four and one-fourth lengths back with a speed figure of seventy-seven during her two-year-old season. The filly has matured and improved by leaps and bounds in her racing career and will definitely be a threat for the victory on Saturday. Her only disadvantage may be that she has not recorded as high of a speed figure as some of the other entrants, but we’ll see what the promising daughter of A.P, Indy will dish on this weekend.

Drawing the far outside post is Stun (Forestry x Pine Bluff x Gone West), and is owned and trained by gavinw, owner of Opcon Stables. This tall bay filly has had total of five lifetime starts in her career, making her one of the more lightly raced fillies in this Saturday’s race. Of these, the filly has won in her starts an impressive four out of five times. Her most recent start came last month in the listed Con Unit Special where the filly won easily after setting just off the pace in second in the eight furlong race. The filly won going away by three lengths and set a speed figure of ninety-four. Her only race that did not result in a win was the Reflection Futurity (G3) last December where the bay filly can third after dropping back in the stretch of her first attempt at a graded stakes caliber start. Its a new year and the fillies speed figures have increased and perhaps now is the time for her to take a bid at a graded start.