West Coast Belle Ready for Ashland
In Saturday’s $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), Gary and Mary West’s homebred West Coast Belle will look to return to form after finishing off the board in her first two races of 2015. The daughter of Tapit was undefeated in three starts as a juvenile, including the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill in late November, to close her campaign.
“She’s doing great and she galloped today,” trainer Wayne Catalano said from his Churchill barn. “I don’t think she liked the track at Fair Grounds and I think she’ll run a good race.”
To kick off her 3-year-old season, West Coast Belle was fourth in the Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 17 and sixth in the Rachel Alexandra (G3) at Fair Grounds. Both races were won by I’m a Chatterbox. West Coast Belle had her last serious move March 24 at Keeneland, working five furlongs in 1:02.40.
Last year, Catalano sent out the Wests’
Room Service to win the Central Bank Ashland (G1) in a dead heat with Rosalind.
LOVELY MARIA GALLOPS FOR CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND
Brereton C. Jones’ Lovely Maria got a feel for her Keeneland surroundings Wednesday morning, touring the Paddock while being led by Larry Jones on horseback and doing light work on the main track under exercise rider Jorge Nava. Arriving Wednesday after vanning from her winter base of Fair Grounds, the daughter of Majesticperfection was last seen here in October when she was second to subsequent Grade 2 winner Sarah Sis in a 6½-furlong allowance.
“She just arrived yesterday and worked at the Fair Grounds on Monday,” Jones said. “Her work (on Monday) was very good and so was the one before that. This one wasn’t as fast as her bullet two weeks ago, but (regular jockey) Kerwin (Clark) said it was even better. She had her ears pricked.”
The filly worked five furlongs Monday in 1:00.20 at Fair Grounds – best of five works at the distance. One week prior, she posted a visually impressive bullet at the same distance in :59.20 – one tick faster than stablemate and subsequent Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner I’m a Chatterbox. In Lovely Maria’s last race, she was second to I’m a Chatterbox in the Rachel Alexandra (G3).
Source: Keeneland Association