Majestic Quality tries to turn tables on Mopotism in Indiana Oaks

Doug O’Neill has the favorite in both the $500,000 Indiana Derby (8-5 Irap) and $200,000 Indiana Oaks (7-5 Mopotism). But the 3-1 second choice in the Oaks also is a California-based filly in the Keith Desormeaux-trained Majestic Quality, who in her last start was a very close fourth — placed third upon a disqualification — in Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks in which Mopotism was second by a head.

 

“I think she has a ton of talent; she’s run against some pretty good horses,” said Julie Clark, the Desormeaux assistant trainer at Indiana Grand with Majestic Quality. “She just broke her maiden two races back, which hopefully gives her some confidence. She’s a hard-trier, a nice big filly. I think she belongs in this group. Hopefully we can prove that right.”

 

California has a bumper crop of 3-year-old fillies that includes Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman. Beyond that stiff competition, Clark said, “It’s hard out there, that speed-favoring (track). She’s more of a closer and she ships all right. So we’ll move around a little bit and see if we can’t find a good spot for her.”

 

Majestic Quality flew Thursday from California to Louisville, from where the filly vanned up to Indiana Grand. That gave her one day to train at the track, with well-known Midwest exercise rider Bryan Beccia aboard. Beccia, among other things, was the exercise rider for 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos.

 

“She can be a little bit strong, but Bryan got along with her great,” Clark said. “So she galloped nice in spite of this humidity, which she’s not used to, either. But she’s on her toes. He does a great job. She relaxed with him, so that was nice.”

 

Stonetacular, the 7-2 third choice, makes her first stakes appearance in the Indiana Oaks for Churchill Downs-based trainer Neil Howard and owner Stoneway Farm. After winning an allowance race, Stonetacular was most recently third in another allowance race against older fillies.

 

“I think she learned a lot coming out of that race,” said Terri Burch, Stoneway’s racing manager. “Her wins (both by four lengths) were so easy for her, and when she turned for home and had such a lead, I think she was goofing off and lost concentrating on having to run to the wire. Those older fillies zipped on by her. I think that caught her by surprise. I hope she learned a good lesson. We’re pretty excited about getting her to stakes company. Because we’ve taken our time with her and let her develop in her own time.”

 

 

Twenty in One was claimed for $30,000 1 1/2 years ago by trainer Mike Tomlinson for owners Dianna and Mark Farrar’s Diamond F. Racing. She went on to win three nice allowances and finish fourth in two stakes last year, but could enhance her value with a top-three finish in the $100,000 Mari Hulman George. It’s a big assignment, as it’s the 6-year-old mare’s first start in 11 months, since winning an allowance race at Indiana Grand. 

 

But it’s worth the gamble. Since Twenty in One was claimed, her mom (Twenty One A.C.) has produced No Mo Dough, a stakes-winner who has won three of four starts. Not far back in their female family is $1.5 million-earner and Grade 1 winner Wekiva Springs.

 

“We had no idea of the pedigree; we were just claiming her to race at the time,” Tomlinson said at Churchill Downs. “This filly started training really forward, and we were pleased. She’s very sound and after a race or two, it looked like we sure might have a better horse than a $30,000 claimer.

 

“She ran hard for us last year. She came up just a touch sore in the suspensory (ligament), so we gave her the winter off. Hopefully if we can get a little black type on her, she’ll do real well at the sales this fall or winter. If we can get black type, it triples her value. Because she’s got a very live family right now, being a half-sister to No Mo Dough, who is pointing toward some big races at Saratoga.”