Friday's $500,000 GI Personal Ensign S. at nine furlongs has attracted older mare division leaders Nest (Curlin) and Clairiere (Curlin). Both are multiple Grade I winners with stellar records; the two will meet for the third time.

Nest, last year's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly, is the 4-5 choice after besting Clairiere in a bang-up GII Shuvee S. July 23 over track and trip. It was her first start of the season after ending last year with a fourth as the favorite behind Clairiere's third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. Nest is undefeated in three tries at Saratoga, including last year's GI Alabama S. and GI CCA Oaks. She was featured earlier this week in TDN.

“She had a spectacular season as a 3-year-old and I think her Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama wins were two of the most impressive races we saw at Saratoga last year. It earned her a championship and she's come back and is training even better at four,” said Nest's Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She has that rare ability to quicken at the end of a dirt race–you don't see a lot of horses show that display of turn of foot at the top of the stretch like we see her do,” continued Pletcher. “She's just a very, very special filly.”

Clairiere, second choice at 5-2, is no slouch either. She finished behind Nest in the Shuvee after a less-than-ideal trip and was also second in her first start of the year–Oaklawn's Mar. 11 GII Azeri S. behind fellow Personal Ensign entrant Secret Oath (Arrogate)–but in between she captured the GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn and the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont. She's a four-time Grade I winner who has age and experience on her side, not to mention seven triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

“I'm very happy with how she's training,” said fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. “Obviously, Nest is a very tall order. We'll see how we do, but we couldn't be happier with Clairiere going in. She's a four-time Grade I winner of $3 million. She's covered plenty of ground.”

Clairiere's dam, Cavorting (Bernardini), won the 2016 edition of the Personal Ensign.

GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath has beaten both of the top contenders and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is never shy about putting her in tough spots, including tries against the boys last year, where she finished third in the GI Arkansas Derby and fourth in the GI Preakness S. When she's on her game, she is very, very good. Secret Oath skipped the Shuvee to await the Personal Ensign.

Brad Cox's Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin), on a two-race win streak that covers the GII Delaware H. and GIII Shawnee S.; Tom Amoss trainee and GSW Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner), an optional allowance winner July 19 over this surface; and Wayne Catalano's last-out Hawthorne allowance winner Malloy (Outwork) complete the field.

Show Me the Money at Charles Town

Night owls are in for a treat as Charles Town hosts two rich late-night graded races Friday. The $1-million GII Charles Town Classic, won the last two years by the late Art Collector (Bernardini), attracts a field ages three and up going nine furlongs. Among the top choices are Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), winner two back of the GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows over the re-opposing MGSW Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and Call Me Fast (Dialed In). A Dale Romans trainee, Giant Game was fifth behind White Abarrio (Race Day)'s monster effort in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 5. This spring's GI Carter H. winner Doppelganger (Into Mischief) and West Virginia-bred Muad'dib (Fiber Sonde), second to Art Collector in last year's Classic, are among the others looking to make some noise.

Also on tap at Charles Town Friday night is the GIII Charles Town Oaks offering a $750,000 purse for sprinting sophomore fillies going seven furlongs. All eyes will be on Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), the Tom Amoss trainee who captured the GII Golden Rod S. in her third straight last year but faltered since in disappointing efforts. In her last out June 17, she appeared to be getting back on track in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park, which she captured over subsequent GI CCA Oaks winner Wet Paint (Blame).

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“It is a Cinderella story. It's something that doesn't happen very often,” Bahde said. “I'm sure that over time there have been $50,000 claiming horses that have gone on to win graded stakes races, but there's just not that many.”

Veteran trainer Randy Morse claimed the gray filly for Bahde at Churchill Downs on Nov. 20 in her third career start and first in claiming company. She won that race, has since won the GII Black-Eyed Susan and has placed second in a pair of GIII starts.

“When we talked about possibly claiming her, we did a lot of research, of course, looked at her previous two races and just felt like there was something there,” Bahde said. “As it turned out, there was really something there.”

In the 1 1/4 miles $600,000 Alabama for 3-year-old fillies, Taxed will reconnect with a pair of familiar foes: the Godolphin homebred Wet Paint (Blame) and Katsumi Yoshida's Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic).

“Pretty Ironic,” Morse said. “Go all the way to New York and go look at the same horses I was running against all winter at Oaklawn Park.”

Taxed was fourth in Defining Purpose's victory in the Year's End Stakes on Dec. 31, then second to Wet Paint and three-quarters of a length ahead of Defining Purpose in the Martha Washington S. on Jan. 28. Wet Paint won the GIII Honeybee on Feb. 25 with Defining Purpose sixth and Taxed ninth after pressing the pace from her outside post.

Morse watched Taxed fade in the stretch and figured it was time to make a change with the oh-so determined, sometimes rank filly.

“She was just always on the bit too much,” he said.

When Morse suggested to Bahde that they take the blinkers off for the GIII Fantasy on April 1, the Omaha, Neb. resident resisted an experiment in a $600,000 stake.

“I was a little reluctant, quite honestly,” Bahde said. “He said that we've got one last breeze before the Fantasy, let's take those blinkers off for the breeze and see what happens. We did and [jockey Rafael] Bejarano was over the moon. He said, 'What a change. What a change. This horse was far more relaxed and finished so strong.' It was decided right then and there that the blinkers were coming off. She's run, just terrific every race since the blinkers came off.”

“She wants to get into the bit, but she's learned to rate and wait for the signal to go and then she's just full of run. It was a great move by Randy. And I know it's made a big difference.”

Although Wet Paint prevailed in the Fantasy, beating Taxed by 2 1/2 lengths, Morse said that the equipment change has helped transform the filly into a more balanced athlete.

“She's a different horse than she was at Oaklawn, I can tell you that,” he said. “She's, bigger, stronger. She's just mature. She seems like she knows her job now, a lot more so than she did back then.”

Trainer Kenny McPeek took Defining Purpose back to Kentucky where she won Keeneland's GI Ashland by a half-length. She was a well-beaten seventh in the GI Kentucky Oaks on May 5. Wet Paint went straight to the Kentucky Oaks, where she was fourth as the favorite. Taxed tied in points with champion Wonder Wheel for the final berth in the Oaks field, but lost the tie-breaker on earnings and landed on the Oaks also-eligible list. Unlike the Derby, the field stayed intact and she did not draw in.

Two weeks later at Pimlico, Taxed turned in a textbook performance to win the GII Black-Eyed Susan by 3 3/4 lengths over Hoosier Philly. Morse said it was the best race of her career.

After considering the GI Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22 at Saratoga, Morse and Bahde settled on the GIII Indiana Oaks on July 8 at Indiana Grand–an easy ship from Churchill Downs–for Taxed's first start of the summer. She drew the rail in the field of seven and at the end of a frustrating trip under Bejarano was second to Defining Purpose by 1 1/4 lengths.

“She didn't break good and she got boxed in behind horses with a slow pace,” Morse said. “I'm not saying she would have won, but I think if he if he could have got her out it would have been a lot closer race. Put it that way. If you watch the replay, he was trying to get outside. He couldn't even do that. He was just struck.”

By the time Taxed as able to make her run, Defining Purpose and Brian Hernandez Jr. had a safe advantage.

The Black-Eyed Susan at 1 1/8 miles was the longest race of Taxed's career and Morse figures the extra furlong on Saturday is within her range.

“I don't think it'll be a problem. You never know till they do it,” he said. “That's the way she's been training. Her works, she just gallops out strong. She'll never seem to get tired.”

Bejarano will be aboard for the Alabama. Taxed shipped from Kentucky to Saratoga Sunday night.

Bahde has been involved in racing for better than 20 years and he graduated from Nebraska bullrings to major U.S. tracks with Morse handling his stock. The Black-Eyed Susan was his first graded stakes victory. The Alabama will be his first start in a Grade I race anywhere.

Ten years ago, Bahde's Kid Sidney (Lemon Drop Kid) was third in each of his three starts at Saratoga. In recent years, Bahde has sold his beer distribution business and spends his free time managing a small racing stable and some breeding stock. Taxed is taking him back to Saratoga for one of the Spa's marquee events late on a Saturday afternoon in August.

“These are very exciting times,” he said. “You never expect to have a horse this talented, that just seems to be getting better.

“You can't even dream of this when you race sort of in my world, which isn't high-level racing. I don't spend a lot of money at auctions for horses. I try to do it on a budget and to be able to land with a horse like Taxed is really a dream come true.”

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Amoss said, “Hoosier Philly was not herself this morning with a minor foot issue. Out of an abundance of caution, agreement with the state vets, & doing the right thing by her, she will be withdrawn from the CCAO. We look forward to getting back to the track in the future.”

The CCA Oaks field now has five 3-year-old fillies remaining with Brad Cox's Wet Paint (Blame) serving as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Hoosier Philly was not herself this morning with a minor foot issue. Out of an abundance of caution, agreement with the state vets, & doing the right thing by her, she will be withdrawn from the CCAO. We look forward to getting back to the track in the future. @stable_gold

— Tom Amoss Racing (@TomAmossRacing) July 22, 2023

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The 3-year-old colt will use the race as a prep for the GI Travers S. Aug. 26, which the Hall of Famer won with Flower Alley [2005] and Stay Thirsty [2011].

“It was a tough call,” said Pletcher. “We just felt like shipping up here, getting him used to the track, two Travers winners we previously had have done that.”

Pletcher added that Forte will likely breeze on Friday morning over the Saratoga main track following the renovation break.

Also looking to make a Saratoga start is GSW Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), who recorded her first work on Wednesday in preparation for the GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 22 for trainer Tom Amoss.

Hoosier Philly | Coady Photography

The 3-year-old gray filly logged a half-mile breeze over the main track in 49.49 seconds with regular pilot Edgar Morales up in her second move since winning the Monomoy Girl S. June 17 at Ellis Park.

“It was a typical work for her and Edgar Morales flew up to work her,” said Amoss. “It was a good work with a strong gallop out. That's her M.O. She's doing fine and she came out of it in good shape. Our plan is to run in the Coaching Club.”

One other runner that will be headed upstate is D.J. Stable's GSW Webslinger (Constitution). Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said the 3-year-old gelding, who was last seen running fourth July 8 in the GI Belmont Derby, will take on the next leg of NYRA's Turf Triple in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational.

“Unfortunately, he got shuffled back [in the Belmont Derby] and Javier [Castellano] had no choice but to go around,” Casse said. “I'm not sure how much farther he ran than everybody else, but it was much farther than he got beat by, that's for sure. He came out good and will aim for the Saratoga Derby.”

Webslinger | Horsephotos

With a win, Webslinger will have a shot at an automatic berth into the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate to be held Oct. 28 at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Victoria, Australia.

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A perfect three-for-three to start her juvenile career, the Tom Amoss trainee went into the break over the winter as one of the leading candidates to win the GI Kentucky Oaks. Finishing third in New Orleans in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and a well-beaten fourth in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks in the spring, Hoosier Filly skipped the signature 3-year-old filly race and took a month and a half off following throat surgery before running second in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 19 at Pimlico.

Breaking alertly here, the gray filly shot to the lead, controlled the more-than-honest fractions of :25.23 for the first quarter-mile and :48.86 for the first half-mile, and rounding the far turn, began to extend her margin. Despite a late challenge from favorite Wet Paint (Blame), Hoosier Filly cruised to a 3-length victory.

“She got away with a very easy opening quarter-mile but quickened up well in the lane when Edgar asked her,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “I'm so thrilled for the owners. Bill and Mary Stone are from across the river in Evansville, Indiana and Rod Ratcliff held a big role at several racetracks in Indiana. It was great to see her return to the winner's circle and thrilled everyone could be here celebrating with us today.”

The winner's dam is out of SW Princess Arabella (Any Given Saturday), who is also responsible for MGSP Ulele (Candy Ride {Arg}). Hoosier Philly is her dam's first offspring, but she has an unraced 2-year-old half-sister named Ava's Look (Mastery) and a yearling half-brother by Justify. Dam Tapella dropped a filly by Munnings May 21.

MONOMOY GIRL OVERNIGHT S., $172,400, Ellis, 6-17,
3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.39, ft.
1–HOOSIER PHILLY, 122, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Tapella, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Princess Arabella, by Any Given Saturday
                3rd Dam: Tortuga Lady, by Thunder Gulch
($510,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Gold Standard Racing Stable, LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss; J-Edgar Morales. $105,900. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-4-1-1, $644,510.
2–Wet Paint, 122, f, 3, Blame–Sky Painter, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $36,300.
3–Flamand, 118, f, 3, Creative Cause–Covey Trace, by Stevie Wonderboy. ($15,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Dean Caras; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Elias Lopez. $17,500.
Margins: 3HF, 5 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.25, 0.65, 28.22.
Also Ran: Champagne Calling, Sabra Tuff. Scratched: Never Tell Patti.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

#4 Hoosier Philly returns to the winner's circle after taking the field gate-to-wire in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park under @EMoralesRacing for trainer @TomAmossRacing!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/bkCH5tcAzD

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 17, 2023

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Peter Brant's Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) makes her first appearance since taking out the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last fall. The $1.025-million KEESEP yearling flashed ample ability on dirt, winning twice from four starts, but was reinvented as a grass filly in the second half of 2022. Upset winner of the Riskaverse S. at Saratoga when making her turf debut last August, she was a pace-compromised second in the GIII Pebbles S. before accounting for stablemate McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the QE II. Florent Geroux replaces fellow Frenchman Flavien Prat in the boot.

Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) returns to the site of his victory in the 2021 GI United Nations S. and can give Brown a remarkable seventh consecutive victory in the GIII Monmouth S. The all-the-way winner of last year's GI Manhattan S. was a pacesetting fourth behind stable companion Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger} in defense of his United Nations title and makes his first trip to the races since a weakening sixth in the GI Sword Dancer Invitational S. at Saratoga last August. Among the competition is Never Explain (Street Sense), who annexed the GIII Dinner Party S. at Old Hilltop May 18.

Sandwiched between those races is the GIII Salvator Mile S. Artorius (Arrogate), who carries the famed Juddmonte silks, progressed rapidly at three, winning his maiden and 'Rising Star' honors at second asking before streaking away to win the restricted Curlin S. at Saratoga last July. Allowed to take his chance in the GI Runhappy Travers S., he was a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time sixth to Epicenter (Not This Time) and was a latest fourth in the seven-furlong Perryville S. at Keeneland last fall.

Quality Over Quantity in Bed o' Roses

It would be easy to say the connections of the four others entered for Saturday's GII Bed O'Roses S. at Belmont Park were dismayed when champion Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) was entered Wednesday, but given the strength of the competition, the reverse might also be true.

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine was the victim of some race riding and was forced to settle for third in the GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs May 6, so revenge will be on their mind, but it may not be straight-forward. Derby City runner-up Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) lines up a few doors down, while the in-form Beguine (Gun Runner) and GII Vagrancy S. victress Caramel Swirl (Union Rags) add to the intrigue.

Pegasus, Monomoy Girl Lure Big Names

The Pegasus has attracted a field of eight mostly exposed 3-year-olds, topped by a pair of shippers from the barn of Todd Pletcher. Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) looks a standout and is unlikely to jump at anything close to his 8-5 morning line, having wired the field in the GII Louisiana Derby before wilting to 14th after attending the sizzling pace in the GI Kentucky Derby six weeks ago. Classic Catch (Classic Empire) was a wide-trip and creditable fifth in the GII Wood Memorial S. two back, and his fourth in the GIII Peter Pan S. looks considerably better given what Arcangelo (Arrogate) did around Big Sandy last weekend.

Saturday's relocated Monomoy Girl S. also looks a two-horse affair on paper. Wet Paint (Blame), who made a belated run to be fourth behind the commonly owned 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) when favored in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5, squares off against Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), who failed to make the Oaks cut but hinted at a return to form with a runner-up effort in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico May 19.

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Last season's GII Golden Rod S. winner Hoosier Philly was intent on getting to the front, and she did so dutifully, as Sacred Wish (Not This Time), Merlazza (Medaglia d'Oro) and Faiza drafted in behind on her outside flank through an opening quarter in :23.44. The rail-skimming Scared Wish tried to creep up on the leader, but promptly had that door slammed in her face, losing some ground in the process. With Hoosier Philly still narrowly in front and Merlazza and Faiza keeping her honest, Taxed was only about four lengths away and moving easily following a :47.24 half. Given her cue leaving the far turn, the grey swung out four wide while inching closer to the front turning for home, gradually reeled in the drifting pacesetter and overtook her game, but tiring rival at midstretch en route to a 3 3/4-length victory. The GI Starlet winner Faiza was a clear third over 14-1 shot Balpool (Uncaptured).

“I had a very good trip,” said winning rider Rafael Bejarano. “I put her in the position the way that I wanted and went from there. I followed the favorite [Faiza], came to the stretch and let her out. My horse responded really good and she finished really well. She has improved a lot.”

In regard to the beaten favorite, Bob Baffert explained, “She broke well and was in a good spot. When the running started, she did not have that kick that she usually has. She ran a good race; she just wasn't good enough today. We are still trying to figure her out. [Flavien] Prat said she had the trip. She did everything right but win.”

He added, “It was a good test for her, this being her first time shipping. We are proud of her; at least she was right there. Those two fillies [Taxed and Hoosier Philly] looked good in the paddock; I thought they would run well. We will go home with her and regroup.”

The victory gave Bejarano's his first graded victory since the 2021 GII Jessamine S. on California Angel, while it was trainer Randy Morse's first since the 2014 GI Stephen Foster S. with Moonshine Mullin.

“It's hard to compete with these guys who go in and spend millions of dollars on young horses,” said Morse. “I'm not knocking them–I'd like to be in their position. Most of my better horses have been claimed.

“I won the Stephen Foster, that was a Grade I. Even if it's a claiming race, a win's a win.”

Claimed for $50,000 while facing maidens at Churchill Downs last November, Taxed returned to be fourth behind future GI Central Bank Ashland S. winner Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the Year's End S. at Oaklawn Dec. 31 before posting a solid runner-up finish to Wet Paint (Blame) in the Martha Washington S. Jan. 28. Fading to ninth after pursuing the early pace in a sloppy renewal of the GIII Honeybee S. Feb. 25, a race also won by Wet Paint, she came home an improved second to that familiar foe after shedding the blinkers in the GIII Fantasy S. Apr. 1.

“She was just always pulling, too rank,” explained Morse. “Because every time she ran, she looked like she was going to win, and she just didn't have any finish. As you see now that she's relaxing behind horses and settling. It's made a huge difference.”

Taxed wound up in the Black-Eyed Susan after failing to draw into the May 5 GI Kentucky Oaks as the first also-eligible.

The filly's owner, Omaha, Nebraska, resident Richard Bahde, has owned horses for 30 years, racing primarily in Kentucky and Arkansas. According to Bahde, the win marked his first win at this level.

“I started out in the bull rings in Nebraska with $5,000 claimers and then I met [trainer Randy Morse] and he took me to a whole different level. We have had a lot of fun together.”

When asked about Taxed's latest win, he enthused, “When she made her move on that turn, I knew we had it won. She loves her job, she loves to run and once she got clear to the outside, it was over. She went past [Hoosier Philly] like she was standing still.”

Pedigree Notes:

Taxed's Black-Eyed Susan victory gives her the distinction of being the initial graded winner for sophomore sire Collected, who stands at this breeder's Airdrie Stud. Her dam, three times stakes placed through a 15-race racing career, won at distances ranging from six to eight furlongs and was purchased by Brereton Jones for $75,000 in foal to Congrats at Keeneland November in 2015. A 100% winner-producer from her four foals to make the races, Yankee Union has an unraced juvenile colt by Airdrie's Preservationist (Arch) named In a Jam who was picked up by D J Stable for $50,000 at Fasig-Tipton July and is training forwardly at Casse Training Center. She is also the dam of a yearling filly by American Freedom and foaled a filly by Complexity Mar. 31.

Friday, Pimlico
GEORGE E. MITCHELL BLACK-EYED SUSAN S.-GII, $300,000, Pimlico, 5-19, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:49.45, ft.
1–TAXED, 118, f, 3, by Collected
           1st Dam: Yankee Union (MSP, $164,064),by Yankee Gentleman
           2nd Dam: A Touch of Romance, by El Prado (Ire)
           3rd Dam: Dance Account, by Private Account
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($27,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $105,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR). O-Richard Bahde; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Randy L. Morse; J-Rafael Bejarano. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 8-2-2-0, $379,644. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hoosier Philly, 124, f, 3, Into Mischief–Tapella, by Tapit. ($510,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Gold Standard Racing Stable, LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss. $60,000.
3–Faiza, 124, f, 3, Girvin–Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike. ($90,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL; $725,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $30,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 2 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 11.00, 6.30, 0.60.
Also Ran: Balpool, Merlazza, Cats Inthe Timber, Towhead, Comparative, Sacred Wish. Scratched: Frosty O Toole, Miracle, Pate.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Drawn on the fence, the 7-1 chance trailed the field of five heading into the clubhouse turn. Southlawn traveled nicely in an inside fourth down the backstretch and set her sights on the top two as they straightened.

Last out GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) took over from favored Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) and looked well on her way as they straightened, but Southlawn was just winding up. Tipped out into the clear, Southlawn came rolling over the top to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths. Pretty Mischievous was second; The Alys Look (Connect) was third.

Southlawn, fifth as the favorite behind champion Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) going 5 1/2 furlongs on debut at Churchill June 3, was a five-length maiden winner going a mile at second asking with blinkers added in an Ellis off-the-turfer July 31. Thrown right into the deep end, she was a well-beaten seventh in the GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Sept. 17. Switched to grass facing allowance company in her next two, she was off the board on both occasions, finishing ninth at Keeneland Oct. 28 and fifth in her juvenile finale at Churchill Nov. 20.

Pedigree Notes:

Southlawn, a $290,000 KEESEP yearling, becomes the 25th graded/48th stakes winner for the late Pioneerof the Nile. Broodmare sire Uncle Mo is now responsible for four graded winners and 11 stakes winners. SW & MGSP Mo d'Amour, a half-sister to MGSP Colonial Creed (Jimmy Creed), is also represented by a Quality Road colt of 2021 ($300,000 KEESEP yearling) and a Constitution colt of this year. Mo d'Amour, a $22,000 KEESEP yearling and $75,000 OBSMAR juvenile, outran her 37-1 odds to finish fifth in the 2016 GI Kentucky Oaks. She carried the colors of WinStar for her 4-year-old campaign after being purchased privately from King of Prussia Stable.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
FAIR GROUNDS OAKS PRESENTED BY FASIG-TIPTON-GII, $376,000, Fair Grounds, 3-25, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.38, ft.
1–SOUTHLAWN, 122, f, 3, by Pioneerof the Nile
1st Dam: Mo d'Amour (SW & MGSP, $311,360), by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Neverthesame, by Scat Daddy
                3rd Dam: Salut d'Amour (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($290,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Robert E. Masterson; B-WinStar Farm, LLC
(KY); T-Norm W. Casse; J-Reylu Gutierrez. $240,000. Lifetime
Record: 7-3-0-0, $318,369. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pretty Mischievous, 122, f, 3, Into Mischief–Pretty City
Dancer, by Tapit. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$80,000. 'TDN Rising Star'.
3–The Alys Look, 122, f, 3, Connect–Foul Play,
by Harlan's Holiday. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($60,000 Ylg
'21 KEESEP). O-Ike and Dawn Thrash; B-G. Watts Humphrey
(KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $40,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3 3/4, 8 1/4. Odds: 7.70, 1.30, 4.40.
Also Ran: Hoosier Philly, Christian d'Oro.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Currently 10th on the leaderboard–the highest of the runners in the field–Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro) took the win in the second local prep race of the season–the GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 21–after ending his juvenile campaign with a victory under the Twinspires in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. for trainer Brad Cox.

Cox has swept the Fair Grounds prep races thus far with Jace's Road (Quality Road), winner of the Gun Runner S. Dec. 26. The Louisiana Derby will the his first start since a fifth in the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Jan. 28.

Making just his second start since being named a 'TDN Rising Star' at Saratoga last fall, Disarm (Gun Runner) makes his stakes debut Saturday off a second against allowance/optional claiming company at Oaklawn Feb. 19.

“He needed that race and he needs this,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He's a talented horse playing catch up. From where we were at, I only felt we could get two runs in him (before a possible start in the Kentucky Derby), and the mile-and-three-sixteenths distance will move him forward. He's a horse who will stay on nicely but he needs some racing. He has a high talent level and deserves this chance.”

Undefeated in a pair of starts, Spendthrift Farm color-bearer Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) also makes his stakes debut for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Turfway Serves Up 'Well Done' Derby Prep

Bolt d'Oro has another potential leading contender on the trail in Turfway's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. with GIII Kitten's Joy S. heroine Major Dude also flying the Spendthrift Farm colors. Having contested his last four races on the turf, including another graded-stakes win last fall in Belmont's GII Pilgrim S., the colt tries the tapeta for the first time for a chance at the 100-40-30-20-10 points on offer.

An experienced dirt horse, Two Phils (Hard Spun) leaves Fair Grounds for Turfway after contesting the last two preps in New Orleans-coming in second to Instant Coffee in the GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 21 and third when last spotted behind Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) in the GII Risen S. Feb. 18.

“At one point the horse did a two-minute lick for me one time over a synthetic surface and it was almost an eye-opening move,” said trainer Larry Rivelli of Two Phil's. “I've been trying to think of the easiest spot for the money and I think this will be the spot. If he absolutely hates the surface, that's on me. I'm sort of putting myself out there saying that I think he will run well over it. Working a half-mile or five-eighths is a lot different than running a race. That's when you find out if a horse doesn't like a surface. I'm pretty confident he will like it but like anything else in racing there could be a chance he doesn't like it. I didn't think he'd like the mud at Churchill (in the Street Sense) until he did.”

One contender who has experience over the surface is Congruent (Tapit), who faded to sixth behind Major Dude in the Kitten's Joy but rebounded with a win over the tapeta in the local prep, the John Battaglia Memorial S.

Art Collector Looks To Stay On Top

The newly-crowned GI Pegasus World Cup winner, Art Collector (Bernardini) looks to keep rolling into New Orleans in the GII New Orleans Classic S.

He'll face another son of the late Darley great in Gary and Mary West's West Will Power, entered off a pair of runner-up efforts in the GI Clark S. and the GII Razorback H.

The field also includes GSW Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile) and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Rattle N Roll (Connect).

Hoosier Philly Right Back At It

Already sitting in eighth place on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, Tom Amoss's Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) cares more about redemption than points in Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks.

“I still think she's the best horse I have ever had in my barn,” Amoss said after his filly was a well-beaten third last time out in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 18.

She'll be challenged by a formidable pair in the Rachel Alexandra winner, 'TDN Rising Star'  Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), and Silverbulletday S. victor The Alys Look (Connect), who defeated GISP Chop Chop (City of Light).

While all three fillies are in the top 10 in points standings, the Fair Grounds Oaks does award a further 100-40-30-20-10 points towards the GI Kentucky Oaks.

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But as Hoosier Philly prepares for a start in the Mar. 25 GII Fair Grounds Oaks, Amoss said everything he has seen tells him that his filly is about to show everyone what all the hype was about.

Has he lost any confidence in the horse? “Zero,” he replied. “I still think she's the best horse I have ever had in my barn.”

Amoss spoke shortly after Hoosier Philly worked five furlongs at the Fair Grounds Thursday morning in 1:00. It was her third work since the Rachel Alexandra.

“I've had her since June of her 2-year-old year,” said Amoss, who confirmed that Edgar Morales has retained the mount. “I know her personality. The way she has trained and the way she has worked out since her last race gives me a lot of confidence going into this next race.”

Yet, he was saying pretty much the same thing before the Rachel Alexandra and he knows that Hoosier Philly did not back up his high expectations. So what happened? Amoss believes that she was compromised by a less than perfect trip.

“You have to be honest with yourself. It was not a good race,” Amoss said. “Then you have to figure out why it was not a good race. What was behind it? Nine times out of 10 when a horse has a bad trip in a race it starts right out of the gate. That's exactly what happened. She left the gate fine. She almost broke a little too hard. Then she stumbled and lost her balance a bit and found herself in a bad spot. The way to race ride, especially when there is a big favorite in the race, is to take advantage of something like that. The riders riding against her very alertly made her trip a very difficult one. The next thing you know she's last. She's eager and wanting to go. The pace wasn't very fast and there's no place for her to go. The pace was not only slow but look at chart of the race. Nobody changed positions except for her. Those things hurt in a race. She found herself in a position she wasn't used to being in.”

At the top of the stretch and very much within striking position, Morales wheeled Hoosier Philly to the outside and she had a clear run. She didn't respond, losing even more ground on the leaders in the stretch, losing by 8 1/2 lengths.

“I thought even after tough trip, turning for home she would show some punch and she did not,” Amoss admitted. “That was a concern.”

It was a major blow not just for those who bet Hoosier Philly in the Rachel Alexandra but for anyone who wagered on her in the Derby Future Wager. She went off at 11-1, third choice behind the “all others” option and Forte (Violence). A total of $16,956 was bet on her. Amoss has ruled out a start in the Derby and wishes she had not been included in the wager in the first place. Along with Julia Shining (Curlin), Hoosier Philly was one of only two fillies nominated to the Triple Crown.

“I'm not the guy who decided to put her in the future pool,” he said. “Nobody ever came to me and said we want to put her in the Derby Future pool, are you good with that? I don't know what determines what goes into that. I can't worry about that. I'm just trying to do right by my horse. I never wanted the public to be led in the wrong direction. Had they asked me, I wouldn't have been comfortable putting her in the Derby Future Pool. I don't think it was fair to have people betting on something that may not occur.”

Hoosier Philly went off at 7-1 in the one round of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which closed last Sunday. Should she win the Fair Grounds Oaks impressively that will look like a bargain. But will she? There are too many unknowns this time for her to be a heavy favorite. Amoss knows that and knows that this is the most important race thus far in her career. Was the Rachel Alexandra for, whatever reason, a race that you can throw out? Or did Hoosier Philly not make the all important transition from two to three? Or maybe she just isn't as good as everyone thought. Every one of those questions should be answered in her next start.

“I'll be nervous when she goes to the gate,” Amoss said. “Leading into the race I'm just trying to concentrate on the things I can control and I think we've done a good job taking care of those things. I would love to think that last race was a one off. There is enough evidence to suggest it will be. This race coming up will determine whether that's true or not. I know that.”

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