Ashland Stakes

MIDWEST/CHRISTMAS KID WINS ASHLAND, HIGH HEELS ROLLS IN FANTASY - Rags to Riches is a two-time Grade I winner and the favorite for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 4 at Churchill Downs, but her record cannot rival the accomplishments of Edward P. Evans' homebred Christmas Kid.The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid held off a late charge by heavily favored Octave to win Saturday's $500,000-added Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. In doing so, the James Jerkens-trained 3-year-old filly earned her third stakes win of year and did so over her third different surface.

MIDWEST/MISTICAL PLAN, OCTAVE HAVE FAIR GROUNDS OAKS REMATCH IN ASHLAND - J. Paul Reddam's Mistical Plan and Starlight Stable and Paul Lucarelli's Octave, the 1-2 finishers in the recent Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II), are set for an intriguing rematch in Saturday's 70th running of the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland.