(Coach Steve Asmussen / Coady Pictures)
From the Good Grounds Media Team:
True rivalries in horse racing are number of and significantly concerning, but there just may well be a excellent one particular brewing in New Orleans concerning two incredibly talented 3-12 months-outdated fillies on the street to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
In what was her 3-calendar year-previous debut, the Stonestreet Stables homebred Clairiere was last in the field-of-8 down the backstretch. She built a daring move inside of on transform for property underneath jockey Joe Talamo, jumped off the heels of Vacation Column in the deep extend, and edged that rival by a neck to acquire what was a thrilling version of the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra introduced by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at Reasonable Grounds Race Training course & Slots.
The next decision in the wagering at 2.30-1, the daughter of Curlin out of the numerous grade 1-winner Cavorting prevailed in a final time of 1:45.34 for 1 1/16 miles and attained 50 points to the Kentucky Oaks in the approach, when Vacation Column gained 20. It was a different 6 ½ lengths back again to Moon Swag (10 Oaks points) in 3rd. Littlestitious attained 5 Oaks details for finishing fourth.
“This is a genuinely nice filly, really expert,” Talamo claimed. “Steve (coach Asmussen) gave me all the self-assurance in the earth in her. Going in he claimed to just journey your race. I just sort of pointed her in the appropriate route and down the lane when I eased her out, she was all racehorse. It’s enjoyable to ride all those sort (of horses). The sky is the limit, specifically with that just staying her 3rd start out.”
In winning the Rachel Alexandra, Clairiere turned the tables on Travel Column, who experienced defeated her beforehand in the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs. It was the fifth get in the Rachel Alexandra for Asmussen, and two of all those (Untapable in 2016 and Summerly in 2005) would go on to Kentucky Oaks glory. Since 1997, 9 horses who competed in the Rachel Alexandra have gone on to earn the Kentucky Oaks. Sixth of those received both equally.
Stonestreet also campaigned the race’s namesake and 2009 Horse of the Calendar year Rachel Alexandra.
“I’m incredibly thrilled about who she is,” Asmussen said of Clairiere. “This filly, the 3rd operate of her life, is just having superior. Races going further glance like they’ll be proper in her wheelhouse. For her to gain the Rachel Alexandra in the Stonestreet silks is exceptionally distinctive. We’ll talk about her up coming start with the group and she how we’re carrying out. This filly has a really vivid upcoming.”
With the earn, Clairiere now sports a record of 3-2-1- with job earnings of $270,492.
The even-funds favorite off her visually extraordinary acquire in the Golden Rod, OXO Equine’s Vacation Column savored a seemingly beneficial excursion below Florent Geroux. She sat next guiding the front-jogging Off We Go by way of fractions of 23.73 and 47.99 before disposing of that tiring rival late on the backstretch. She took a obvious gain into the extend, only to get nailed late.
“It was a small disappointing (not to acquire) but it was a superior start off to the yr,” Geroux said. “We were being chasing, and I was trapped in a undesirable placement since I was chasing a longshot. I didn’t want to go following her for the reason that I’m doing the filthy work for the other fellas. I just felt like, off a layoff, that wasn’t the best scenario.”
Coach Brad Cox, who won the 2018 version of the Rachel Alexandra en route to Kentucky Oaks, Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and Eclipse Award glory with Monomoy Female, was proud of Vacation Column’s functionality.
“It was a superior energy,” Cox mentioned. “We definitely would have appreciated to win but I feel she’s going to get a lot out of it. She was a broad into the initially transform but which is Ok, given the write-up. She broke far better currently. I appreciated the excursion. She ran perfectly down the lane and they really completed up stable. It is her first race of the calendar year and it is something we can build on.”