Bourbonette Attracts Competitive Group

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.