Kathmanblu Heads Rachel Alexandra Stakes

Seven 3-year-old fillies are set to match strides in Saturday’s Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes, final designed preview of potential contestants in the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 26. For the first time this race bears the name of the 2009 Horse of the Year and 2009 Fair Grounds Oaks winner who retired last fall.

Five D Thoroughbreds and Wind River Stables’ Kathmanblu, 8 1/2-length heroine of Churchill’s Grade II Golden Rod Stakes last fall and most recently clearly the winner of Gulfstream’s $100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes Jan. 22, is the strong 6-5 morning line favorite for the Rachel Alexandra, with French-born jockey Julien Leparoux named astride.

     [Who does Brian Appleton rate as his top Kentucky Oaks contender? Read his latest Kentucky Oaks Novel Nine blog.] 

Right Time Racing’s Bouquet Booth, winner of Fair Grounds’ $98,000 Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 22 and Delta Downs’ Grade III Delta Princess last fall, is considered to be the main challenger at 7-2 in the early line and will have the riding services of Fair Grounds’ defending jockey champion Shaun Bridgmohan.

Others named to the Rachel Alexandra Stakes are: William Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Gran Lioness, Jamie Theriot (5-1); Courtlandt Farms’ Chloe Kate, Corey Lanerie (10-1); Donver Stable’s Inglorious, Chantel Sutherland (5-1); Kirk Robison’s Tapit Dancer, James Graham (10-1); and James Covello, Judy Hicks and Kathryn Nikkel’s Lilacs and Lace, Mike Smith (12-1).