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Oaks Winner Back for More Churchill Glory

Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) looks to return to the scene of her career-best effort in Friday's GI La Troienne S. for two-turn fillies and mares. A debut winner here as a juvenile for prior connections, the bay took last March's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn, but was a well-beaten third in the GIII Fantasy S. behind Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). She returned to Louisville for a six-length optional claiming romp in June, and was similarly dominant in the GIII Indiana Oaks in July. Let go at 15-1 in last year's GI Kentucky Oaks in September, she pressed and passed heavy favorite and eventual champion female sprinter Gamine (Into Mischief) before fending off Swiss Skydiver to prove best that day. Third as the favorite when testing her elders in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 4, she bypassed the Breeders' Cup, and was a game winner of the GII Azeri S. back in Hot Springs Mar. 13. That effort was flattered when narrow runner-up Letruska (Super Saver) came back to upend Shedaresthedevil's champion stablemate Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. a couple weeks ago.

While Swiss Skydiver isn't back for a rematch after her disappointing third in the Apple Blossom, Ken McPeek saddles a formidable stand-in in Envoutante (Uncle Mo). The dark bay seemed a cut below the best members of her sophomore class last season, but came on late in the year, annexing the GIII Remington Park Oaks Sept. 27 before airing by six lengths in the GII Falls City S. here Nov. 26, good for a 101 Beyer Speed Figure that matches up with the field's-best number Shedaresthedevil earned in the Oaks. Envoutante flattened to fourth after chasing Shedaresthedevil in the Azeri.

Peter Brant's Dunbar Road (Quality Road) took the 2019 GII Mother Goose S. and GI Alabama S., and added a track-and-trip win in the Shawnee S. last May before scoring in the GII Delaware H. She was third in both the GII Beldame Invitational S. Oct. 4 and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 7, and would be the main beneficiary of a quick early pace while making her first start at five.

Lightly raced Paris Lights (Curlin) needs to get faster, but she's won four of five, including the GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga and the seven-furlong GIII Distaff H. off the bench last time Apr. 2.

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Shedaresthedevil Makes Seasonal Bow in Azeri

GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) makes her first start of 2021 Saturday in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn. Victress of the GIII Honeybee S. at this oval last season, the bay rallied to be third behind champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. in May. She wired a Churchill optional claimer by six lengths a month later and romped in the GIII Indiana Oaks in July. Overlooked at 15-1 in the Oaks due to the presence of future champions Swiss Skydiver and Gamine (Into Mischief), Shedaresthedevil registered a 1 1/2-length decision over Swiss Skydiver on the First Friday in September and faded to third last time in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 4. Her trainer Brad Cox also saddles Getridofwhatailesu (Ghostzapper), who rallied from last-to-first in Oaklawn's Pippin S. last out Jan. 23.

Ken McPeek chose to send his champion Swiss Skydiver to the west coast for her seasonal bow, but is still represented here by Envoutante (Uncle Mo). Third in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland in July, the dark bay checked in fourth to her Eclipse-winning stablemate in the GI Alabama S. Aug. 15. Returning to winning ways in the GIII Remington Park Oaks Sept. 27, she went wire-to-wire in Churchill's GII Falls City S., dominating by six lengths Nov. 26.

Letruska (Super Saver) captured the GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga in August, but faded to fourth next out after setting the pace in Belmont's GII Beldame Invitational S. Oct. 4. Running away to a 6 3/4-length score in Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12, the bay scored a facile victory in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. last time Jan. 31.

Completing this small, but competitive field of five is Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy). Runner-up in a pair of Oaklawn optional claimers last April, the bay checked in second to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in Churchill's GII Fleur de Lis H. June 27. She was fourth in Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 1 in her final start for trainer Richard Baltas and owners Abbondanza Racing, Mark DeDomenico and Medallion Racing. Motion Emotion was purchased by Spendthrift Farm for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and My Racehorse joined in as partner. Transferred to Steve Asmussen, she finished fifth in the Houston Ladies Classic last time.

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Kentucky Oaks Winner Shedaresthedevil Kicks Off 4-Year-Old Campaign In Oaklawn’s Azeri

Shedaresthedevil, a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, will make her seasonal debut in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Azeri, which goes as the fifth of 12 races, is 2:03 p.m. (Central). The 1 1/16-mile Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17.

Shedaresthedevil will be making her first start since finishing third in her first race against older horses, the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. Shedaresthedevil had won her previous three starts, including the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from the spring to the fall last year because of COVID-19, is the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil returned to the work tab Feb. 1 at Oaklawn, then shipped to Fair Grounds because of anticipated winter weather. The daughter of Daredevil recorded four works at Fair Grounds, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.20 March 6, before returning to Hot Springs Wednesday. Cox indicated in January that Shedaresthedevil, the 2-1 program favorite, couldn't afford any training hiccups to make the Azeri, won last year by 2019 Kentucky Oaks champion Serengeti Empress.

“In a perfect schedule, I would have liked to have gotten a few more works into her,” Cox said. “But her last two works have been really, really good. Kind of really was the decision-maker. Her last two works have been well in hand. She's doing well. Her weight's good, so I feel confident she's going to run a good race. I don't think she's 100 percent tight, but she's very close.”

Shedaresthedevil was the top locally based 3-year-old filly last year, winning the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) before running third behind eventual divisional champion Swiss Skydiver in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3). Shedaresthedevil races for a partnership that includes Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

The projected five-horse Azeri field from the rail out: Envoutante, Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, 121 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Motion Emotion, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1; Letruska, Joel Rosario, 124, 3-1; Getridofwhatailesu, Javier Castellano, 121, 3-1; and Shedaresthedevil, Florent Geroux, 119, 2-1.

Envoutante, a stablemate of Swiss Skydiver, will also be making her 4-year-old debut Saturday. Envoutante exits what trainer Kenny McPeek termed a “beast of a race,” a front-running six-length victory against older horses in the $200,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Speedy Mexican star Letruska (12 of 16 overall) was an allowance winner last April at Oaklawn and a front-running 3 ½-length winner of the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston in her last start.

“I think she's the speed,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “You check the numbers. Anyone that wants to run with her, needs to run fast. If we lose, we lose. But the other one is taking a big risk.”

Gutierrez said he hopes to use the Azeri as a steppingstone to the Apple Blossom, among the country's premier two-turn events for older fillies and mares.

Getridofwhatailesu, also trained by Cox, came from well off the pace to win the $150,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 23 at Oaklawn in her last start. She has a 3-1-0 record in four career starts in Hot Springs.

“She obviously likes Oaklawn,” Cox said. “It looks like there's going to be some pace in there, so she might get a setup. Come-from-behind horses tend to do not as well in shorter fields, but if there's ever one that looked like she could do well in, it would probably be this one, based off just the paper.”

Completing the field is Motion Emotion, who chased Letruska in the Houston Ladies Classic before tiring to finish a well-beaten fifth in her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Motion Emotion recorded sharp front-running maiden and allowance victories in 2019 at Oaklawn before finishing second in the Honeybee and Fantasy when with trainer Tom Van Berg.

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McPeek Stacked With Fillies For 2021

The Ken McPeek shedrow is flush with fillies, two of which–Tabor Hall (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Trapeze S. winner Oliviaofthedesert (Bernardini)–are set to represent the stable in this weekend's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park.

“They're both two-turn fillies,” McPeek told the Oaklawn notes team. “I think it's ideal timing for both of them to see where they fit in the scheme of the Oaks and the 3-year-old filly division. Olivia won a nice little race out at Remington and Tabor Hall's shown quality. They're both doing well and the timing was good.”

The best may be yet to come, however, as McPeek is also readying last year's GIII Remington Park Oaks and GII Falls City S. victress Envoutante (Uncle Mo) for an appearance in the GII Azeri S. in Hot Springs Mar. 13. That race is the final local prep for the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17, an event that could also attract the McPeek barn's heaviest hitter, GI Preakness S. and GI Alabama S. heroine Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), who is likely to make her 4-year-old debut in the GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita Mar. 13.

“Her last race was a beast race,” McPeek said Wednesday afternoon, referring to Envoutante's six-length romp in the Falls City. “She and Swiss have been getting ready down here [in Florida] and I've been trying to keep them separated. I made a decision and it looks like Swiss is going to California. It's a high-level problem. I'm pretty heavy on fillies this year, for some odd, unusual reason.”

Swiss Skydiver ended her sophomore season on a down note, finishing well behind Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 7. When asked if she might be a candidate for the Apple Blossom, McPeek said: “Yeah, it's possible. I think the timing is pretty good for both of them to run back there.”

Though McPeek has never won the Apple Blossom, the outstanding Take Charge Lady (Dehere) was just run down in the waning strides of the 2003 renewal by reigning Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter).

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