A field of 11 three-year-old fillies was entered on Wednesday for
Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks, the highlight of the
Spiral Stakes (Grade 2) undercard at Turfway Park, and the winner just
may earn a spot in the starting gate for the May 6 Kentucky Oaks at
Churchill Downs.
First up on the list of Oaks hopefuls is LILACS AND LACE, triumphant in
the California Oaks on New Year's Day. The John Terranova charge hasn't
been seen in competition since that 8 1/2-furlong event, but has been
working well at Palm Meadows since the beginning of March. The chestnut
lass will be making her graded bow in the Bourbonette Oaks, and will
have jockey Javier Castellano in the saddle for the first time.
While Lilacs and Lace will be trying Turfway's Polytrack for the first
time, HARLAN'S RUBY is returning to the site of her Valdale S. victory
on February 26. That was the bay filly's first start since finishing
eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and she was also second in
the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes last season. Perry Ouzts has the call on
the Ken McPeek runner.
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