Scolding's a filly to watch after breakout Oaklawn Park debut

The Steve Asmussen barn appears to have another future star filly on its hands.

In Race 2 on Saturday’s Arkansas Derby (G1) undercard at Oaklawn Park, Asmussen unveiled Scolding, a $475,000 purchase for Phoenix Thoroughbred III who made easy work of her competition.

Going six furlongs, the daughter of Carpe Diem broke sharply and positioned between horses, about a neck off an opening quarter mile in 21.77 seconds. Scolding had inherited the lead when the half-mile time of 45.74 seconds flashed up, and she was gone with a shake of the reins in the stretch by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

The final time was 1:10.02 with Scolding six lengths clear of the runner-up.

As a member of Carpe Diem’s first crop, will this filly get a distance test later this summer? Scolding also shows an interesting work tab with three recorded breezes — only one of them, her final work, at half mile at Oaklawn Park following two drills at the Benton Training Center in Louisiana.

Scolding was at least the second eye-catching debut filly for Asmussen in recent weeks at Oaklawn. On April 11, Casual, a daughter of Curlin out of the Grade 1 winner Lady Tak, bided her time before splitting horses and prevailing in another six-furlong maiden special weight event.

A homebred for Hill ’n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Stretch Run Ventures, Casual has worked twice since then, including a half-mile breeze Saturday in 50.80 seconds at Fair Grounds.