Gold Medal Dancer, My Miss Sophia Top La Troienne
Pin Oak Stable’s Gold Medal Dancer, who upset champion Untapable in the Azeri (GII) at Oaklawn Park in March, and Alpha Delta Stable’s My Miss Sophia, runner-up in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks top a well-balanced field of nine fillies and mares entered in the La Troienne.
The La Troienne will go as the seventh race with a 2:08 p.m. post time.
Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, Gold Medal Dancer finished third in the Apple Blossom (GI) in her most recent start. Luis Quinonez has the mount and will break from post seven in the 1 1/16-mile main track event.
My Miss Sophia, now trained by Bill Mott, will be making her first start since the Lady’s Secret at Monmouth in September. Javier Castellano has the mount and will exit post position two.
Adding to the depth of the field are 2014 Churchill Downs Grade II stakes winners Molly Morgan, owned by Bill Cubbedge, and Frivolous , owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., as well as recent Royal Delta (GII) runaway winner Sheer Drama, owned by Harold Queen.
The Dale Romans-trained Molly Morgan, second in this race last year to On Fire Baby, won the Fleur De Lis and Chilukki here with Corey Lanerie aboard for both wins. Lanerie will be back aboard Friday and break from post position eight.
Frivolous, trained by Phil Oliver, closed her 2014 campaign with a victory in the Falls City Handicap. Jon Court will have the mount and break from post position nine.
Sheer Drama, trained by David Fawkes, won the Royal Delta by 6 ½ lengths in defeating Molly Morgan and five others. Joe Bravo, who has ridden Sheer Drama in her past three starts, has the call Friday and will break from post position five.
The field for the La Troienne with jockeys and weights from the rail out is: Tiz Windy (Julien Leparoux, 120), My Miss Sophia (Castellano, 118), Sweet Whiskey (John Velazquez, 118), America (Junior Alvarado, 118), Sheer Drama (Bravo, 120), Interest Free (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Gold Medal Dancer (Quinonez, 120), Molly Morgan (Lanerie, 120) and Frivolous (Court, 120).
Source: Churchill Downs