SHEDARESTHEDEVIL Kentucky Oaks 146 Churchill Downs

OAKS WINNER SHEDARESTHEDEVIL TOPS FIELD OF SEVEN FOR LA TROIENNE + Other Oaks Day Stakes Entries

Mark BlankenbakerApril 26, 2021

Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing Stables and Big Aut Farms’ Shedaresthedevil, upset winner of last September’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) headlines a field of seven fillies and mares entered Monday for Friday’s 36th running of the $500,000 La Troienne presented by TwinSpires.com (GI).

Scheduled as the eighth race on Friday’s 13-race Kentucky Oaks program, post time for the 1 1/16-mile La Troienne is 3:03 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post Friday is 10:30 a.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil came off a five-month layoff to start 2021 with a victory in the Azeri (GII) at Oaklawn Park on March 13. Regular rider Florent Geroux will be aboard and exit post two.

Two other Grade I winners will line up to challenge Shedaresthedevil: Peter Brant’s Dunbar Road and WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Paris Lights.

Trained by Chad Brown, Dunbar Road will be making her 2021 debut after closing out 2020 with a third-place finish behind champion Monomoy Girl in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) at Keeneland. Winner of the 2019 Alabama (GI), Dunbar Road will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post three.

Paris Lights, 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs in her career for trainer Bill Mott, won the Coaching Club American Oaks (GI) last summer and opened 2021 with a victory in the Distaff Handicap (GIII) at Aqueduct on April 2. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post five.

The field for the La Troienne, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Envoutante (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118 pounds), Shedaresthedevil (Geroux, 123), Dunbar Road (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Bajan Girl (Luis Saez, 118), Paris Lights (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Sanenus (CHI) (Javier Castellano, 120) and Finite (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118).

Godolphin’s Maxfield will look to get back on track following the first defeat of his six-race career when he tops a field of six older runners for the 18th running of the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The Alysheba will be the sixth race on the 13-race program with a 1:26 p.m. post time.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield notched victories in his first five starts that included triumphs in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland, the Matt Winn (GIII) at Churchill Downs and the Tenacious and Mineshaft (GIII) at Fair Grounds. He finished third in the Santa Anita Handicap (GI) in his most recent start.

Jose Ortiz has the mount Friday exiting post six.

The field for the Alysheba, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Visitant (Umberto Rispoli, 118 pounds), Sonneman (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo, 118), Chess Chief (Luis Saez, 120), Roadster (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Maxfield (Jose Ortiz, 120).

Trainer Tim Hamm and Siena Farms’ Dayoutoftheoffice, runner-up in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) at Keeneland, headlines a field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies for the 66th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by Smithfield (GII) going seven furlongs on the main track.

The Eight Belles will go as the ninth race on the 13-race program with a 4:04 p.m. post time.

Dayoutoftheoffice won her first three starts that included scores in the Schuylerville (GIII) at Saratoga and the Frizette (GI) at Belmont Park prior to the Breeders’ Cup.

Gerardo Corrales has the mount Friday and will exit post 10.

The field for the Eight Belles, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Make Mischief (Tyler Gaffalione, 118 pounds), Cantata (Javier Castellano, 118), Souper Sensational (John Velazquez, 118), Euphoric (James Graham, 118), Windmill (Mike Smith, 118), Slumber Party (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Obligatory (Jose Ortiz, 118), Kalypso (Joel Rosario, 120), Li’l Tootsie (Flavien Prat, 118), Dayoutoftheoffice (Corrales, 122), Abrogate (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Caramel Swirl (Luis Saez, 118).

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables’ Aunt Pearl (IRE), dominating winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) at Keeneland last fall, will face six rivals when she makes her 3-year-old debut in the 37th running of the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Newport Racing & Gaming (GII).

The 1 1/16-mile test over the Matt Winn Turf Course will be the seventh race on Friday’s 13-race program, with a 2:09 p.m. post time.

Trained by Brad Cox, Aunt Pearl followed up her 5-length maiden victory Sept. 1 at Churchill Downs with another front-running triumph in the Jessamine (GII) at Keeneland that set her up for her Breeders’ Cup victory.

Regular rider Florent Geroux has the mount and will exit post six.

The field for the Edgewood, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Postnup (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118 pounds), Gift List (GB) (Javier Castellano, 118), Queen of the Green (James Graham, 118), Barista (Joel Rosario, 118), Line Dancing (Julien Leparoux, 118), Aunt Pearl (IRE) (Geroux, 122), Zaajel (Luis Saez, 118).

Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, D P Racing and Patrick Biancone Racing’s Diamond Oops makes his return to the grass Friday when he headlines a field of 11 for the 27th running of the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII).

The 5 ½-furlong grass test is the 10th race of the day with a 4:55 p.m. post time.

Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Oops will be attempting to become the first repeat winner of the Twin Spires Turf Sprint. He prevailed by a neck in last year’s running that marked his most recent start on grass.

Florent Geroux, who was aboard for last year’s victory, has the mount Friday on Diamond Oops who is making his 2021 debut. Diamond Oops will exit post nine.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Johnny Unleashed (Gerardo Corrales, 122 pounds), Guildsman (FR) (Umberto Rispoli, 122), Fiya (Luis Saez, 122), Classy John (Tyler Gaffalione, 122), Just Might (Colby Hernandez, 122), Ambassador Luna (James Graham, 117), Smart Remark (Rafael Bejarano, 122), Fast Boat (Irad Ortiz Jr., 122), Diamond Oops (Geroux, 122), Sombeyay (Flavien Prat, 122), Carotari (Julien Leparoux, 122).