By Joe Bianca
Calumet Farm's progressive filly Vexatious (Giant's Causeway) made a respectable stakes debut when third in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Apr. 1. Instead of shipping back home to Santa Anita afterward, however, the bay was kept in the Texarkana area to contest Friday's 12-horse GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn.
Vexatious was a troubled third behind 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in an allowance/optional claimer Mar. 9 at Santa Anita. The late-runner was likely forced out of her element when chasing tough pacesetting winner Farrell (Malibu Moon) and getting nailed for second in the final jump in New Orleans .
The Fantasy's morning line favorite is Shortleaf Stable's Benner Island (Speightstown). The $200,000 Keeneland September buy was a dull seventh in the local Martha Washington S. Feb. 11, but exploded forward with the addition of blinkers when second at 22-1 despite a wide trip in the GIII Honeybee S. Mar. 11.
Chanel's Legacy captured the Dixie Belle S. sprinting at Oaklawn Feb. 11 and stretched her speed out nicely with a 13-1 upset in the Martha Washington. The Iowa-bred will look to bounce back after finishing sixth in the Honeybee and second in the Purple Martin S. Mar. 25.
William K. Goode's Kell Paso (Divine Park) is an intriguing shipper from New Mexico. Starting her career with a 22-1 upset Nov. 29 at Zia, the bay scored at 16-1 in the El Paso Times S. Jan. 29 at Sunland and was second at 7-1 in the Island Fashion S. there Feb. 26. Finally given some mutuel respect when 9-5 in the Sunland Park Oaks, Kell Paso ran a bang-up second, finishing a neck behind of undefeated Todd Pletcher trainee Ghalia (Medaglia d'Oro) after chasing and making the first move into a sizzling pace.
West Point Thoroughbreds and Edwin Barker's Spooky Woods (Ghostzapper) makes the trek from southern California for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. The $250,000 Barretts March purchase followed up a Jan. 20 graduation with a respectable third at 26-1 behind division leader Unique Bella (Tapit) and Grade I winner Abel Tasman (Quality Road) in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 4.
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