Oaks News

An overflow field of 14 has been entered in the $150,000 Bourbonette Breeders' Cup (Grade 3), a one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies to be run at Turfway Park on Saturday's stakes filled card.  The size of the field is matched by the quality it has attracted, boasting stakes winners Olivine, Our Dancing Babe, and Sealy Hill, as well as other highly touted youngsters Silverinyourpocket, Floral Park, and Bavarian Belle.

            Mr. and Mrs. R David Randall's Silverinyourpocket is likely to vie for favoritism off her smashing win over allowance rivals last time out at Gulfstream Park.  That was the second win from as many starts for the bay daughter of Silver Deputy who made a successful racing debut in early February.  The Bourbonette marks her first attempt beyond a sprint distance and her first start against stakes competition.  Silverinyourpocket is trained by Helen Pitts and will be ridden again by Rafael Bejarano.

            Another filly certain to attract a lot of attention is Overbrook Farm's Floral Park.  Floral Park made a successful return to racing earlier this month for trainer Dallas Stewart with a 2 ¼-length allowance win over Sutra, winner of last year's Grade 1 Frizzette.  The daughter of Forest Wildcat will be facing distance concerns similar to those of Silverinyourpocket as she makes her first start beyond the six furlong distance. Kent Desormeaux will ride Floral Park for the first time.

            David Ross's Out Dancing Babe comes into the Bourbonette riding a three-race win-streak that includes a last-to-first victory in the Valdale, Turfway Park's local prep for this race.  The Belong to Me filly has not lost since taking six starts to break her maiden.  Our Dancing Babe's come-from-behind style is likely to be a great benefit as this race is loaded with early speed as Bavarian Babe, Panty Raid, and Floral Park each seems eager to grab the early lead.

            New York based filly Olivine comes into the race off a flashy victory in the Busher Stakes last month at Aqueduct.  In that race she jumped out to an uncharacteristic early lead and never looked back, winning the race by five lengths.  Olivine has won both starts since stretching out to a route of ground and has posted a couple good workouts for trainer David Donk.  She attracts the riding services of John Velazquez.

            Sealy Hill ran into a buzz saw last time out at Gulfstream Park while making her first start outside Canada in a second-level allowance race.  She finished four-lengths behind Autobahn Girl in that effort; Autobahn Girl went on to impressively capture the Suncoast Stakes in her next start.  The Bourbonette will mark her first start in nearly two months and she has no listed workouts for trainer Mark Casse.

            Another local filly hoping for success is Bavarian Belle, who finished second last time out in the Valdale to Out Dancing Babe.  She led all the way around the oval in that effort before being caught in the stretch.  She will get no such easy lead in this race and will be forced to rate under jockey Julien Leparoux.  She makes her first start for trainer Patrick Byrne.

            The field is rounded out by Arcadia Field, Panty Raid, Indian War Dress, Rivanna River, Tale of the Queen, and Aspiring.  Tessa Blue and Not Two Quiet are both listed as also-eligibles for the race in case of any scratches.

            The Bourbonette carries graded earnings, an important determining factor in case of an overflow field for the Kentucky Oaks.  Last year's Bourbonette included eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever, who finished third in this race.

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