Fillies Get their Day in the Spotlight
This week at Oaklawn fans will have their eyes on one of the top three-year-old colts in the country in Old Fashioned, but fans will be able to see one of the top three-year-old fillies, Rachel Alexandra, on Sunday in the $50,000 Martha Washington Stakes.
A field of 10 line up in the one mile contest, each filly looking to claim a spot in the Grade II Fantasy at Oaklawn on Sunday, April 5th and possibly the Kentucky Oaks in May.
Rachel Alexandra, as mentioned, will set up as the favorite for the Martha Washington. Trained by Hal Wiggins (pictured), the filly exits her biggest win in her last out in the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs, setting a stakes record. Calvin Borel, rides the talented filly in her 2009 debut, and will break from the middle of the pack in post five for the Sunday feature.
The undefeated filly Hello Again takes her first try around two turns on Sunday. Conditioner Moises Yanez will send the Illinois bred daughter of Yankee Gentleman out to her toughest test in her young career. Eduardo Perez, who has ridden Hello Again in all of her previous starts, will guide the filly again around the Oaklawn oval.
Allen Milligan, who is off to an outstanding start at Oaklawn in 2009, will send out My Spanx, who was running in stakes company before breaking her maiden. After that maiden score, she went on to later win the La Senorita Stakes at Retama Park. The filly will be returning to a dirt surface after her last five starts have come on turf. Riding primarily for Milligan, Martin Escobar will ride My Spanx from the far outside in the 10 post.
The race will also feature, horse with trainer,: Peach Brew, Donnie K. Von Hemel; Affirmed Truth, Tim Ice; Bootprints, Don Von Hemel; Lake Lugano, Larry Jones; Afleet Deceit, Terry Gestes; Lil’Hottie, Jorge Lara; Mrs Cindy’s Walkin, Don Von Hemel.
The Martha Washington serves as the feature race on the Sunday card with a post time of 5:11 p.m.
Trainer Larry Jones Discusses Stars
Those who know trainer Larry Jones (pictured) know that he will be leaving his position as trainer at the end of 2009, but Jones will be going out in style. He currently trains Kentucky Derby favorites Old Fashioned and Friesen Fire, leading handicap filly Proud Spell, and older horse Solar Flare.
Talk about a trainer with a lot to talk about, and he did that today in the Oaklawn press box. Here is what Jones had to say about the stand-outs in his barn and his pending retirement.
“Friesen Fire hasn’t changed a lot since we’ve had him. His mental approach is better and shows he is more of a competitor. Old Fashioned always thought he was better than the next horse. We felt in the Remsen that they gave Old Fashioned the race, he is horse that requires very little training, he is a very fit horse, and is ahead of anything we have ever trained at this in point in the game. Old Fashioned is a very professional acting horse; we won’t do much with him and just wait for the race on Monday.”
“After the Southwest I will probably head down to Fair Grounds and bring Proud Spell back. I would love to get a start in her before the Apple Blossom, but it is still early. We will see how she progresses in her morning workouts and then if she seems to be doing well enough we might look at the Azeri with her.”
“I still plan on retiring at the end of the year. I have a lot of grandkids to spoil. The kids have kind of asked me to be the absentee father, and to be honest, I don’t even know my kids as well as I should. I want to spend time with them. When they get tired of messing with me, I may consider coming back. I can train horses when I’m old. I don’t know if I can fool those grandkids when I’m old.”
A Little Bit More
According to trainer Bret Calhoun, Silver City (pictured) bedded down on the Oaklawn backside at 2:00 p.m. The second choice in the Southwest, Silver City will be taking his first try around two turns in the one mile contest. “Everything has gone smoothly with him. He keeps getting better and better. I’m excited to see how the race shapes up with Old Fashioned,” said the trainer by phone. “Old Fashioned is the derby favorite, and is very talented. It will be a good race.”
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