Kentucky Oaks Day: Stakes Recaps

By Darren Rogers —-

BIG WORLD CAN’T BE CAUGHT IN WINNING WIN LA TROIENNE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, May 5, 2017) – Maggi Moss’ Big World took the lead shortly after the start and posted a 1 1/4-length victory over Romantic Vision to win the 32nd running of the $300,000 La Troienne Presented by Spirited Funds (GI) for fillies and mares.

Trained by Tom Amoss and ridden by Florent Geroux, Big World covered the 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track in 1:44.91.

Big World raced unopposed on the lead with Streamline in closest pursuit. At the head of the lane, Big World opened up on the field and had more than enough left to hold off Romantic Vision.

The victory was worth $180,420 and increased Big World’s earnings to $608,820 with a record of 11-7-0-4.

Big World is a 4-year-old Louisiana-bred daughter of Custom for Carlos out of the Broken Vow mare Tensas Wedding Joy.

Big World returned $16, $7.60 and $5. Romantic Vision, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $11.40 and $6.80 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Streamline, who paid $4.80 to show under Chris Landeros.

It was another half-length back to favored Paid Up Subscriber, who was followed in order by Factory of Faith, Eskenformoney, Impasse and Go Maggie Mo.

BIRD SONG SOARS IN THE SLOP TO WIN ALYSHEBA

Marylou Whitney Stables’ Bird Song won the chase to the first turn ahead of Honorable Duty and favored American Freedom and never surrendered the lead to win the 14th running of the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Big Fish Casino (GII) by 1 ½ lengths.

Trained by Ian Wilkes and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Bird Song covered the 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track in 1:44.34. It was the second victory in the Alysheba for Leparoux who won the 2012 renewal on Successful Dan.

Bird Song opened a daylight advantage entering the backstretch with American Freedom in closest pursuit with Honorable Duty racing third. The top three remained unchanged until the top of the stretch when Honorable Duty moved to second but never could threaten the winner.

The victory was worth $235,600 and increased Bird Song’s earnings to $484,207 with a record of 11-5-2-1. Bird Song is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Unbridled’s Song out of 2003 Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town.

Bird Song returned $15.20, $7 and $5. Honorable Duty, ridden by James Graham, returned $4.60 and $3.60 and finished a length in front of International Star, who paid $7.40 to show under Jose Ortiz.

American Freedom finished another 1 ¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Breaking Lucky, December Seven, Noble Bird, Behesht (FR), El Huerfano and Fish Trappe Road.

BENNER ISLAND HOLDS OFF UNION STRIKE TO WIN EIGHT BELLES

Shortleaf Stable’s Benner Island held off the fast-closing Union Strike by a head and survived a rider’s objection to win the 62nd running of the $200,000 Eight Belles presented by Kentucky Trailer (GII) for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Javier Castellano, Benner Island covered the seven furlongs on a sloppy track in 1:24.28. The victory gave the Cox-Castellano duo back-to-back stakes triumphs Friday to go with Green Mask’s victory in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GIII).

Benner Island established an early lead and maintained a daylight advantage in the run down the backside. She maintained her advantage to the stretch, where she repulsed one challenge from Golden Mischief and then the final surge from Union Strike.

The victory was worth $112,840 and increased Benner Island’s earnings to $235,863 with a record of 8-3-2-0. Benner Island is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Speightstown out of the Awesome Again mare Spacy Tracy.

Benner Island returned $8.80, $5 and $3.80. Union Strike, ridden by Brice Blanc, returned $5.40 and $4 and finished 1 ½ lengths in front of Laney, who paid $14.20 to show under Corey Lanerie.

Golden Mischief was another 2 ¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Pretty City Dancer, Gris Gris, China Grove, Cajun Delta Dawn, Let It Ride Mom, Florida Fabulous, Ghalia, What What What, Lovely Bernadette and I’mluckysgirl.

GREEN MASK ROLLS TO VICTORY IN TWIN SPIRES TURF SPRINT

Abdullah Saeed Almaddah’s Green Mask collared pace-setting Latent Revenge inside the sixteenth pole and drew off to a two-length victory in the 14th running of the $150,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by TwinSpires.com (GIII).

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Javier Castellano, Green Mask covered the five furlongs on a “good” course in :58.02.

Longshot Latent Revenge opened a daylight margin in the sprint down the backside while Castellano had Green Mask stalking in fourth place and running in the clear on the outside. Turning for home, Latent Revenge maintained a comfortable margin until Green Mask kicked in and swooped past for the victory.

The victory was worth $88,350 and increased Green Mask’s earnings to $739,066 with a record of 24-6-7-3. Green Mask is a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Mizzen Mast out of the Forestry mare Bonsai Beauty.
Green Mask returned $8.60, $5.20 and $4. Latent Revenge, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, returned $19.40 and $11.60 and finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of Why Two, who paid $5.80 to show under Flavien Prat.

It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to favored Pure Sensation, who was followed in order by Wilbo, Holding Gold, Partly Mocha, Derek’s Smile, Expected Ruler and Tell All You Know.

OXLEY RUNS 1-2 AS LA CORONEL ROLLS TO EDGEWOOD VICTORY

John Oxley’s La Coronel surged past her stablemate Dream Dancing inside the sixteenth pole to claim a half-length victory in the 33rd running of the $150,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Florent Geroux, La Coronel covered the 1 1/16 miles on a “good” turf course in 1:45.56. La Coronel’s victory marked the second year in a row Casse and Geroux had won the Edgewood having scored with Catch a Glimpse last year.

Stallion Heiress set the pace while Geroux had La Coronel in mid-pack and in the clear outside of horses. Nearing the stretch, Sweeping Paddy took over and opened a daylight advantage only to be collared at the eighth pole by Dream Dancing, who had weaved her way through traffic under Julien Leparoux.

The victory was worth $85,560 and increased La Coronel’s earnings to $345,175 with a record of 8-4-1-0 that now includes three graded stakes wins.

La Coronel returned $4, $4.40 and $3.60 with Sweeping Paddy, ridden by Luis Saez, returning $10.60 to show after finishing 2 ¾ lengths in back of Dream Dancing.

It was another three-quarters of a length back to Proctor’s Ledge, who was followed in order by Emphatically, Storm the Hill, India Mantuana, Journey Home, Purely a Dream, Stallion Heiress, Bernadiva, You Missed It and Youngest Daughter.