Ky. Oaks prep: Fun and Feisty tries Tapeta in Cincinnati Trophy

Grade 3 winner Fun and Feisty is set to make her first try on the Turfway Tapeta surface against eight 3-year-old fillies who were entered for Saturday’s 41st running of the listed, $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes.

The Cincinnati Trophy was carded as race 6 with a post time of 8:25 p.m. EST. Saturday’s first of nine races will get underway at 5:55 p.m.

The one-mile Cincinnati Trophy will offer the top five finishers Kentucky Oaks (G1) points on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale. 

Fun and Feisty, trained by Kenny McPeek, broke her maiden in her third start on Arlington Million Day at Churchill Downs. The daughter of Midshipman returned one month later in the Pocahontas (G3), where she rallied in deep stretch for a 3 1/2-length score. In her last two starts, Fun and Feisty finished a disappointing eighth in the Alcibiades (G1) and third in the $200,000 Rags to Riches. The Cincinnati Trophy will be Fun and Feisty’s first start in more than four months. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the riding assignment from post No. 9.

Chief among Fun and Feisty’s rivals in the Cincinnati Trophy is Botanical, who will attempt her first stakes after two dominant victories at Turfway. Two starts ago, the Brad Cox-trained Botanical broke her maiden by 10 3/4 lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight contest. In her last start seven weeks ago, Botanical cruised to a front-running 4 1/2-length allowance victory under jockey Chris Landeros. Botanical will break from post 3 in the Cincinnati Trophy with Landeros in the irons.

Another top filly who is entered for the Cincinnati Trophy is recent Valdale Stakes winner B G Warrior. Trained by Ron Kahles, B G Warrior pulled a shocking 41-1 upset victory three weeks ago in the Valdale. Previously, the daughter of Run Away and Hide crossed the wire first in the Gowell Stakes but drifted out in late stretch and was disqualified to second. The two-time winner will be ridden by David Haldar from post 7.