Just two horses bred in the mid-Atlantic region are slated to race in stakes at Churchill Downs on Friday, Kentucky Oaks day, one in the big race itself. They are:
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Thank You Marylou. Photo by Laurie Asseo. THANK YOU MARYLOU, 30-1, GRADE 1 KENTUCKY OAKS
- Bred in Virginia by Mr. and Mrs. C.W. McNeely, III
- Three year-old daughter of Birdstone out of the stake-winning Menifee mare Menifeeque
- Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey
- Record: 4-2-1-1, earnings of $178,200
- Ranked second among three year-olds on the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- Named to honor Marylou Whitney, who raced this horse’s sire, Birdstone, and who assisted the Ramseys after Sarah suffered a stroke
- Won at first asking on the turf at Colonial in the Tippett Stakes last July
- Scored in the Any Limit Stakes in her seasonal debut before running a solid third in the Grade 1 Ashland
- Though bred for a distance — Birdstone won the Belmont Stakes, while Menifee won the Haskell — has not won beyond seven furlongs and tired late in the Ashland
- Trained by Mike Maker and retains top rider Julien Leparoux
- Rates a legit shot to outrun long odds
- For more info:
- HAVELOCK, 7-2, GRADE 3 CHURCHILL DOWNS TURF SPRINT
- Bred in Maryland by Silverton Hill, LLC
- Seven year-old gelded son of Great Notion out of the winning Spectacular Love mare Piconeach
- Owned by his breeders
- Record: 27-9-0-3, earnings of $619,800
- Unranked in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- Five-time graded stakes winner ran fifth in this event — beaten two lengths — a year ago
- Ran seventh in his seasonal debut, in Keeneland’s G3 Shakertown
- Two-time Breeders’ Cup participant
- Always a closer, has been troubled by recent slow starts that have turned him into a deep, deep closer
- Trained by Darrin Miller, will have ultra-productive Javier Castellano aboard
- Cross-entered in Thursday’s Elusive Quality Stakes at Belmont
- Drawn outside, which with his style won’t hurt and could help
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
(Featured image, of Thank You Marylou, by Nick Hahn.)
