Istanford Heads Tough Regret Field

A tough field of 3-year-old fillies, headlined by Arlington Classic (GIII) winner Istanford, Edgewood Stakes winner A Little Bit Sassy, Bourbonette Oaks (GIII) winner Aurelia’s Belle and Delta Downs Princess (GIII) winner Tepin, will face off in Saturday’s 45^th running of the $100,000-added Regret (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

 

The Regret, named in honor of the filly who became the first of only three members of her gender to win the Kentucky Derby in 1915, is scheduled as Race 9 at 10:11 p.m.

 

Sam Alley, Janet Alley, Dawn Thrash and Ike Thrash’s Istanford is looking for back-to-back graded stakes wins for trainer Michael Stidham after taking the Arlington Classic by a length in her last outing. Regular jockey James Graham will be back in the saddle.

 

Ramona S. Bass LLC’s A Little Bit Sassy, a 1 ¼-length winner of the Edgewood at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day, will bid for her second consecutive stakes win and first in graded company Saturday. She has won two of five starts and earned $155,788. Jockey Luis Saez will ship in to ride the Michael Matz trainee.

 

James F. Miller’s Aurelia’s Belle, coming off a ninth-place effort in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), will make her first start on the grass in Saturday’s Regret, under jockey Channing Hill for trainer Wayne Catalano. She has earned $186,450 in six starts, with her only two wins both coming on the Polytrack.

 

Robert E. Masterson’s Tepin, eighth in the Miss Preakness in her first and only start of 2014, looks to bounce back in her second start off a layoff for trainer Mark Casse. She will be ridden by Miguel Mena and has earned $342,084 from two wins in five starts.

 

The field for the Regret from the hedge out (with jockeys): Kiss Moon (Corey Lanerie), Tepin (Rosie Napravnik), V V Goodnight (Luis Saez), A Little Bit Sassy (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Personal Diary (John Velazquez), Istanford (James Graham), Stellaris (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Share the Sugar (Julien Leparoux) and Handmade (Robby Albarado).