Eight fillies and mares, including the top three finishers
in last year’s Virginia Oaks (Gr. III), are set to go to post in Saturday’s
$150,000 All Along Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. III) at Colonial Downs. The All
Along is the featured under card race on Colonial Turf Cup Day.
Morning line favorite Tizaqueena, a five year old mare
trained by Michael Stidham, has earned a bankroll of over $630,000 and will
break from post four. With eight wins on
her resume, she has captured several stakes
including the Gr. II Distaff Turf Mile, the LaCombe Memorial Handicap,
and the Bayou Handicap in which she ran a 135 Beyer. She will arrive at
Colonial fresh off a win in the Gr. III Arlington Matron Handicap with E. T.
Baird, who also has the mount for the All Along.
Second choice is Shared Account, the runner-up in last
year’s Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. The Graham Motion-trained four year old
filly has finished out of the money in just three of eleven starts,
accumulating $356,560 during her career. Shared Account won the Gr. II Lake
Placid before finishing second in both the Gr. I Garden City and Gr. I Queen Elizabeth
II Challenge Cup. Three time Virginia
Derby winning rider Edgar Prado has the mount.
Dynaslew, a four year old filly owned by Live Oak
Plantation, is the third early choice with Alan Garcia up. After breaking her
maiden on third asking, the Dynaformer filly went on to win an allowance and an
allowance optional claimer before winning the Gr. III Beaugay Stakes at Belmont in her most recent
outing. With seven on the board finishes in ten lifetime starts, Dynaslew has
earned over $190,000.
The fourth pick is Chilean-bred Casablanca Smile, a four
year old filly trained by “Shug” McGaughey III. After winning her first Grade
III by 2 ¼ lengths, she went on to finish on the board in four Grade I races
before winning the Gr. I El Derby by six lengths earlier this year. With nearly
$200,000 in earnings, the All Along Stakes will be Casablanca Smile’s first
start in America.
Kent Desormeaux is scheduled to ride.
Fifth early choice is Blind Date, winner of last summer’s Virginia
Oaks. Trained by leading ’09 Colonial conditioner Hamilton Smith, the four year
old Not For Love filly also holds the Hookedonthefeelin, Hilltop, and Pearl
Necklace Stakes on her resume. Her most recent on-the-board appearance was a
second place finish in last year’s Maryland Million Oaks. Blind Date will be
ridden by local ’09 riding champ, Rosemary Homeister, Jr.
Rounding out the field is Omega Cat, who has been on the
board in ten of sixteen lifetime starts, Katara, a Michael Matz-trained filly
who ran third in last year’s Virginia Oaks, and Kitty Cat Express, a five year
old Cat Thief mare who finished last of nine in the 2009 All Along.