Kentucky Oaks 134 Update: April 4

TOP STORIES:

- Country Star, Proud Spell Meet in Ashland
- Eight Belles, Pure Clan Collide Again in Fantasy
- Two Oaks Nominees in Providencia Field of 10

MIDWEST/LUMINARIES TOP FIELD OF SEVEN IN ASHLAND – Stonerside Stable’s Country Star and Brereton Jones’ Proud Spell, two of the more fancied fillies of betters in the first two pools of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, will meet for the first time Saturday in the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (Grade I) at Keeneland.

Country Star, who closed at 9-2 in Pool 1 and as the 5-1 favorite in Pool 2, will be making her 2008 debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel. Country Star closed 2007 with Grade I victories in the Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland and the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park.

Proud Spell, who closed at 8-1 in Pool and the 6-1 second choice in Pool 2, enters the Ashland off a 2 ¼-length victory over Eclipse Award winner Indian Blessing in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) on March 8. Proud Spell is trained by Larry Jones.

Others in the field coming off stakes wins for the mile and a sixteenth test over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface are Keith Kinmon’s Absolutely Cindy, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park on March 1 over males, Cloverleaf Farm’s Bsharpsonata, winner of the Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park on March 2, and Darley Stable’s Little Belle, winner of the Busher at Aqueduct on Feb. 24.

The field for the Ashland, from the rail out, is as follows: Absolutely Cindy, Little Belle, J. Mack Robinson’s African Violet, Bsharpsonata, Proud Spell, Country Star and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod’s Life Is Sweet. All are Kentucky Oaks nominees except for Life Is Sweet.

SOUTH/FANTASY FEATURES EIGHT BELLES-PURE CLAN REMATCH – Fox Hill Farms’ Eight Belles and IEAH Stables, Lewis Lakin and Pegasus Holding Group Stables’ Pure Clan, the 1-2 finishers in the March 16 Honeybee Stakes (GIII) at Oaklawn Park, headline a compact field of four for Sunday’s $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (GII) at a mile and a sixteenth.

Trained by J. Larry Jones, Eight Belles brings a three-race win streak into the Fantasy, capped by the 1 ¼-length score over Pure Clan in the Honeybee. Eight Belles closed as the 8-1 fourth choice in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

Pure Clan, who is trained by Bob Holthus, was making her 2008 debut in the Honeybee. Pure Clan closed out 2007 with victories in the Pocahontas (GIII) and Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs. Pure Clan closed as the 7-1 third choice in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

The only other entrants in the Fantasy are Anita Cauley’s French Kiss and Savorthetime Stables’ Alina.

Trained by Gary Hartlage, French Kiss is a half-sister to 2007 Fantasy winner High Heels, who went on to run third behind Rags to Riches in the Kentucky Oaks. French Kiss is a Kentucky Oaks nominee; Alina is not.

WEST/BRIECAT, GORGEOUS GOOSE TAKE PROVIDENCIA SHOT – Holly and David Wilson’s Briecat and Mary Ann Denes and Mary Ellen Woelfel’s Gorgeous Goose are the only Kentucky Oaks nominees in the field of 10 entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $150,000 Providencia Stakes (GII) at a mile on the turf at Santa Anita.

Trained by Vladimir Cerin, Briecat won her first two starts, including the Arizona Oaks at Turf Paradise on Feb. 9, before finishing sixth in the Santa Anita Oaks (GI) on March 8. The Providencia will mark her turf debut. Jon Court will ride Briecat and break from post two.

Trained by Mike Puype, Gorgeous Goose closed 2007 by winning the Blue Norther at a mile on the Santa Anita lawn and opened 2008 by running third as the favorite in the March 1 China Doll, also at a mile. Michael Baze has the call on Gorgeous Goose and will break from post eight.