In addition to her Fantasy placing, Ava's Grace was third in last summer's GII Adirondack S. She was 50-1 on the morning line for the Oaks. David Cohen was scheduled to ride.

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Daily Racing Form's David Grening tweeted that Diodoro had no definite diagnosis for Ava's Grace but was concerned about her right shoulder and planned to get a nuclear scintigraphy scan done. Nuclear scintigraphy is a useful tool in isolating potential sources of lameness or discomfort that remain vague in a traditional lameness exam. The procedure involves the injection of a harmless radioactive isotope, which will bind to areas of increased metabolic activity in the skeleton, showing bright areas or “hot spots” when the scan is performed.

Learn more about the typical process for lameness examinations here.\

Diodoro trains Ava's Grace for Cypress Creek Equine. The daughter of Laoban was bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables and most recently finished second in the Grade 3 Fantasy behind Pauline's Pear. She also has a third-place effort in the G2 Adirondack to her credit. David Cohenhd been named to ride the filly, who had been the early speed in the field during her last outing.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Cohen's whirlwind journey began when he rode seven races Thursday at Oaklawn, the last at 5:36 p.m. (Central). A little less than two hours later, Cohen flew privately from Hot Springs to Louisville, Ky. (approximately 500 miles), arriving at 9:52 p.m. (Eastern). Cohen worked four horses early Friday morning at Churchill Downs and flew back to Hot Springs, arriving at 9:46 a.m., a little more than an hour before training hours ended at Oaklawn. First post was 1 p.m.

Cohen rode five races Friday at Oaklawn, winning the eighth, a 1 1/16-mile event for older $17,500 claimers, on heavily favored Lord Dragon ($3.60) for his major clients, trainer Robertino Diodoro and owner M and M Racing (Mike and Mickala Sisk). It was Cohen's 26th winner at the meeting.

“I've done this before, but it makes it a lot easier on a private jet,” Cohen said after his first mount Friday, the Diodoro-trained Wildwood Flash, finished seventh in the second race. “We were up at 3:20 (a.m.) our time (Central), because it was 4:20 their time (eastern). Robertino's assistant picked us at the hotel at 4:45, so that would have been 3:45 our time. Worked the first horse, Ava's Grace, the Oaks filly, at 5. Knocked out four workers, flew back and I actually had time to go home and lay down and take a shower and relax.”

In addition to Ava's Grace (Kentucky Oaks), Cohen worked two other horses previously based at Oaklawn, Keepmeinmind (Kentucky Derby) and Dreamer's Disease (Pat Day Mile), for potential stakes engagements next week at Churchill Downs. All three were for Diodoro, who accompanied the jockey on the quick trip.

Keepmeinmind, who finished sixth in his 3-year-old debut, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 13 at Oaklawn, covered a half mile in :46.20 over a fast track, quickest of 108 works published at the distance. Keepmeinmind, shedding blinkers, breezed with stablemate Shasta Star, a 6-year-old mare.

Cohen called the work, “beautiful.”

“He went very strong,” said Cohen, Oaklawn's leading rider in 2019. “I actually put him behind another one of our horses, about 10 lengths. Just wanted to give him a good target and wanted to give him something to pass. As soon as he got up by that horse and went up on the inside, there was a little traffic outside. Opted to just go up the rail. That was one thing he was dealing with early on in his career. He wasn't wanting to go into some tight spots and kind of sucking out and giving up some much needed ground, which he did in the Breeders' Cup prep and the Breeders' Cup as well.”

Before breaking his maiden in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs, Keepmeinmind finished second in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and third in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Keepmeinmind had been scheduled to make his 2021 debut Feb. 15 at Oaklawn – the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) – before severe winter weather led to multiple postponements of the race and interrupted the late-running colt's training schedule. Oaklawn lost eight live racing dates and 11 days of training (Feb. 12-22) because of heavy snow and arctic temperatures.

After finishing sixth in the Rebel, Keepmeinmind shipped to Keeneland and finished fifth in the $800,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 3. Keepmeinmind moved up to No. 20 on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard after Get Her Number was withdrawn from consideration, giving the colt the final starting position. Post positions will be drawn Tuesday.

Ava's Grace, in her 3-year-old debut, ran third in an entry-level allowance sprint March 4 at Oaklawn before finishing second in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 3. The 1 1/16-mile Fantasy, Oaklawn's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies, marked the two-turn debut for the lightly raced Ava's Grace. She is safely in the field for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30. It is limited to 14 starters.

Dreamer's Disease, sixth in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, worked several times at Oaklawn, but didn't start at the meeting after falling behind in his training because of winter weather. The $500,000 Pat Day Mile (G2) May 1 will be his 3-year-old debut.

“Been a weird year,” Diodoro said between races Friday afternoon at Oaklawn. “We had a good meet. I'm happy with the meet, but just weird. Just how fast the meet went, those two weeks of the storm threw a couple of these 3-year-olds off schedule and just made the meet go so fast.”

Diodoro was Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020 and entered Saturday with 38 victories to rank second in the standings. Friday was the 45^th day of the weather-shortened 51-day meeting.

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“He looks good this morning and I am happy with the way he came out of the race,” Cox said of Essential Quality, a son of Tapit who extended his unbeaten streak to five with his neck victory over Highly Motivated. “I liked that he got a test yesterday. It was not like he just galloped up to the leader and went on by.”

Cox said Essential Quality would go to Churchill Downs Monday morning after training hours to join his string there and continue preparations for the $3-million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1.

Essential Quality might be joined soon at Churchill by the Into Mischief colt Highly Motivated, according to Whit Beckman, assistant to trainer Chad Brown.

“He is good this morning,” Beckman said of Highly Motivated. “He put in a valiant effort yesterday going two turns for the first time. He took all the heat and kept battling.

“I am not sure (how long he will stay here), but knowing Chad I would not be surprised to see him go to Churchill for a couple of works.”

John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer, who picked up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his third-place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass, might wait for the Preakness (G1) on May 15, trainer Michael McCarthy said via text.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box and Rombauer has 34 points, which is good for 21st on the leaderboard with two more points races to go on Saturday: the Arkansas Derby (G1), which awards 170 points on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the top four finishers, and Keeneland's Stonestreet Lexington (G3), which offers 34 points on a 20-8-4-2 scale.

Prior to the Toyota Blue Grass, Rombauer won the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields and earned an automatic berth into the Preakness.

BBN Racing's Hidden Stash picked up 10 Derby points for his fourth-place finish to boost his total to 32, good for 23^rd on the leaderboard.

“He is good this morning,” trainer Vicki Oliver said. “We will see what the owners want to do – either the Derby or, if he looks tired, wait for the Preakness or Belmont.”

The Kentucky Derby dream ended for Cypress Creek, Arnold Bennewith and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind with his fifth-place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass, a position that earned him no points toward the Run for the Roses. Keepmeinmind, runner-up to Essential Quality in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) and third to him in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance here last fall, has 18 points and stands 28th on the leaderboard.

“I don't know what to tell you (about the Toyota Blue Grass performance),” trainer Robertino Diodoro said before heading back to his main string at Oaklawn Park. “Obviously we don't have enough points and what's next, that's the million-dollar question.”

The day was not a total loss for Diodoro as Cypress Creek's Ava's Grace finished second in the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn and picked up 40 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and a likely spot in the 14-horse starting gate.

“We are pretty excited about her,” Diodoro said. “I don't know if she will come here first and then go to Louisville but either way we have to get her up here ASAP from Oaklawn.”

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The 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack is the second in Saratoga's series of three races for juvenile fillies, following the six-furlong Schuylerville on July 16 and preceding the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway at seven furlongs on September 6.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is a five-time winner of the Adirondack, one fewer than his Hall of Fame mentor D. Wayne Lukas, most recently taking back-to-back editions in 2016-17 with Nonna Mela and Pure Silver, respectively.

Pletcher will be represented this year by The Elkstone Group's Maryland homebred Lucifer's Lair. The bay's sire, Quality Road, won the Grade 2 Amsterdam in 2009 and Grade 1 Woodward in 2010 at Saratoga, while the dam, Devil's Cave, also was a graded-stakes winner going long on the dirt.

Lucifer's Lair was unveiled on July 19 at the Spa, pressing a brisk pace going 5 ½ furlongs before forging a short lead entering the stretch and going on to win by three lengths in 1:05.33.

“She had trained like a filly that was capable of winning her debut. She's a pretty professional, straightforward sort so we were hoping for a good race,” Pletcher said. “She was early to come in and we had a good foundation into her, so we felt like we had her pretty fit going into that. By Quality Road, you would think that she would improve stretching out, as well.”

Lucifer's Lair tuned up for the Adirondack with a half-mile work in 49.49 seconds over Saratoga's main track on August 6. Meet-leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., aboard for her debut triumph, gets the return call from post 5.

“We were very pleased with her debut. She's been training good since then and had a nice breeze yesterday, so it seems like she's ready to go again,” Pletcher said. “Certainly it's going to be a tough race, but it's the logical next move.”

Southern Equine Stables' homebred Ava's Grace will be making her Saratoga debut in the Adirondack, exiting a come-from-behind half-length victory in 59.38 seconds for five furlongs on July 3 at Ellis Park.

The bay Laoban filly was then shipped to Saratoga where she shows three breezes over the main track, the most recent a five-furlong drill in 1:01.19 on August 4 for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

“We worked her the other day and she handled it impressively. To work five-eighths by herself as a 2-year-old, she's really developing into a nice filly,” Diodoro said. “It's going to be a big test for her, but she's doing everything right. What I like is she's doing everything right and her works have been a little better and a little better each time.

“I always say a big part of all these horses, but especially young horses, is the mental part,” he added. “Especially with fillies. She's about as smart as they come and as classy as they come. She's a very classy filly.”

Ava's Grace broke from the rail in her debut and rated in fifth before steadily making up ground to get within a neck of the lead at the top of the stretch under jockey David Cohen, who gets the assignment again from post 1.

“She wasn't as prepared a first-time starter as we usually have them. It was kind of a rush situation for a couple different reasons but she handled everything amazingly well, from the paddock to the gate,” Diodoro said. “A lot of times when you do stuff like that with a filly you'll blow their mind, but it didn't even faze her. She's come back really well and shipped up here well. We've had her up to the gate, we've had her in the paddock. She acts like a nice, late 3-year-old filly. She's just very professional.”

Diodoro said her poise may come from the sire. Also campaigned by Southern Equine with McCormick Racing, Laoban ran third in the Grade 3 Sham and second in the Grade 3 Gotham in 2016, not breaking his maiden until later that summer in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga, following off-the-board efforts in the Grade 1 Blue Grass and Grade 1 Preakness.

“We've got a couple more Laobans down at Ellis and they're all the same way. They're just very professional, they're good-looking horses and very smart horses. I know it's a new sire, but it could be a little trademark coming here,” Diodoro said. “A friend of mine has got one at Prairie Meadows and without me even saying anything, he started telling me about this Laoban he's got. He said the same thing, he acts like a nice 3-year-old.”

Diodoro said he will leave the decision up to Cohen but expects Ava's Grace to be among the top flight in the Adirondack.

“I think she could be closer. She broke out of the one hole last time. She's had a little more gate experience now. I think she'll be forwardly placed, very forwardly placed. It's going to be interesting. It's always neat with these young horses, to watch them develop,” Diodoro said. “She's a good-sized filly. She'll grow a little more in height but, to be honest, I think she's the perfect size. She's just put together nice.”

Trainer Mark Casse won last year's Adirondack with Perfect Alibi, and he'll attempt to defend his title with Gary Barber's Make Mischief. The daughter of Into Mischief, debuted with a five-furlong maiden special weight victory on June 18 at Belmont Park, then set the pace in the Schuylerville for a half-mile before giving way to finish second behind Dayoutoftheoffice.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez and Make Mischief will break from post 2.

Heider Family Stables' Thoughtfully first made headlines last summer at Saratoga by fetching $950,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Selected Yearling Sale, then ran to her price tag in debut, an 8 ¾-length maiden special weight romp on June 11 at Churchill Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, a two-time Adirondack winner. She has breezed five times at Saratoga including a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.91 on August 3.

Up on the Tapit filly in debut, Ricardo Santana, Jr. rides back from post 4.

AVQ Racing's Lilac Lace will try the dirt after graduating at first asking in a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint on July 12 at Keeneland. Trainer Anthony Quartorolo enlisted Hall of Famer Javier Castellano to ride from post 3.

Completing the field is Michael J. Ryan's Beautiful Farewell, winless in two starts including a fifth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in a six-furlong maiden special weight on August 2 at Saratoga. Joel Rosario climbs aboard for the first time from outside post 6.

The Adirondack is slated as Race 9 on Wednesday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 12:50 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Laoban, who was also campaigned by Southern Equine Stables in partnership with McCormick Racing, scored his lone career victory in the 2016 GII Jim Dandy S. He stands in New York at Sequel Farm. The winner’s dam did not produce a foal in 2019, but had a Street Sense filly this year.

7th-Ellis, $20,200, Msw, 7-3, 2yo, f, 5f, :59.38, ft.

AVA’S GRACE (f, 2, Laoban–Cover Girl Elle, by Out of Place) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart. O/B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (KY); T-Robertino Diodoro.

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