Ashland Stakes field down to 5 after Tonalist's Shape scratches
The field is down to five for Saturday's Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland after Tonalist's Shape scratched.
"She's just going to reroute to the Coaching Club next week," said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Saratoga's Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, "just seems like a better spot," Saffie said. "I talked it over with the owners, and they think that's the better spot we should go, the Coaching Club."
The daughter of Tonalist, winner of the Hollywood Wildcat Stakes at Gulfstream last out in May, is owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham and Legacy Ranch Inc. She has won six of her seven starts, the only blemish being a seventh-place effort in the Gulfstream Park Oaks in March.
"We were never totally set on the Ashland," Joseph said. "... We were like 50-50 where we were going to run."
Both the Ashland, a 1 1/16-mile route, and the Coaching Club offer 170 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the first four finishers.