Maren's Meadow stars in Bourbonette

This season, trainer Larry Jones has held a strong hand in the three-year-old filly division, courtesy of Proud Spell (Proud Citizen) and Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song). Now a third name can be added to the list, after MAREN'S MEADOW (Meadowlake) captured the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at Turfway Park on Saturday. With Gabriel Saez at the helm, the bay negotiated the Polytrack mile in 1:38 to notch her first stakes tally.

Maren's Meadow settled into an outside stalking trip, in close proximity to the pace set by Love Buzz (Silver Charm) through an opening quarter in :24. Lovers Spat (Yankee Gentleman) moved up to engage the leader on the backstretch, but her bid soon faded. Once Love Buzz repelled that short-lived challenge, Maren's Meadow accosted her approaching the half-mile in :47 3/5 and put her away. The Jones trainee passed the six-furlong mark in 1:12 1/5, was firmly in command entering the stretch, and never relinquished her advantage, holding off the rally of Valentine Fever (Stormin Fever) by 1 1/4 lengths at the line. Maren's Meadow was dispatched as the nearly 8-1 fifth choice in the eight-filly field, returning $17.60, $7.80 and $4.20.

Valentine Fever also carved out a close tracking trip, chased the winner in the stretch and finished a clear second by 1 1/2 lengths. The 5-1 third choice gave back $6.20 and $3.40 while completing the $83.60 exacta. The 6-5 favorite, A to the Croft (Menifee), raced near the back of the pack early and improved her position on the turn, but got no closer than third. She yielded $2.60 to show and ended the $317.40 trifecta. Downtown Drifter (Devil His Due), who had been part of the mix in the opening stages, wound up fourth as the nearly 31-1 longest shot on the board, resulting in a $3,460.20 superfecta (4-3-7-8). Morakami (Fusaichi Pegasus) checked in fifth, followed by Lovers Spat; 7-2 second choice Clearly Foxy (Volponi), who stumbled at the start; and Love Buzz.

Maren's Meadow has compiled a record of 8-3-2-1 with $177,225 in earnings. Fourth to Proud Spell in the Matron S. (G2) last September, she was an uncharacteristically poor third versus lesser opponents at Delaware Park next time out. Jones later discovered that Maren's Meadow was the victim of sponging. In her two sophomore outings prior to the Bourbonette, she finished fourth in the Dixie Belle S. and second in the first division of the Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park.

"Since we started putting her around two turns, she's been a different horse," said Jones, who added that the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) is not likely to be on the agenda for Maren's Meadow. "We'll probably keep her here through the Black-Eyed Susan (S. [G2] at Pimlico on May 16) and look at going to Woodbine after that with her. We'll probably stay away from our other two (Proud Spell and Eight Belles) who are on the Oaks path."

Bred by Josham Farms Ltd. in Ontario, Canada, Maren's Meadow was a $25,000 bargain yearling at Keeneland September. She was produced by the winning Yukon mare Gold Liaka, making her a half-sister to three-time Canadian stakes victress Golden Path (Slew o' Gold), Canadian stakes heroine Chamul (Mutakddim), an unnamed juvenile colt by El Corredor and a yearling colt by Roman Ruler. This is the family of Belmont S. (G1) victor Touch Gold (Deputy Minister); With Approval (Caro [Ire]) and Izvestia (Icecapade), each a Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year; and Grade 1-winning millionaire Healthy Addiction (Boston Harbor).