Blue-blooded Clairiere (Curlin) and pricey yearling purchase Travel Column (Frosted) boast one win each from their two prior match-ups and one will break the tie Saturday in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks.
Clairiere came out on top by a gutsy neck in their last meeting in NOLA in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 13. Out of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), the Stonestreet Stables homebred won on debut going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs Oct. 25 and was second to Travel Column next out in that track's GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28.
“The trip worked out perfectly for us in the Rachel Alexandra,” trainer Steve Asmussen told the Fair Grounds notes team. “At a mile-and-a-sixteenth, I think the fillies are competitive. It's the same distance on Saturday. We feel really good about our prospects going forward.”
Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off her impressive career bow beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 4, Travel Column checked in third in Keeneland's GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 2. Rallying from well back to take the Golden Rod, the $850,000 FTSAUG buy stalked from second early in the Rachel Alexandra and took control on the backstretch, but was run down by Clairiere in the final strides.
“I think she should get a good stalking trip from our post,” conditioner Brad Cox said. “There's no pace in the race. We're not going to sit back there and give someone the race. We didn't win [the Rachel Alexandra], but we were very, very pleased with the comeback and we expect her to move forward off that return. She's a very, very good work horse and she's been training great since that race.”
Undefeated Zaajel (Street Sense) takes on those rivals for the first time here. Charging home a 7 1/4-length winner in her seven-panel unveiling at Gulfstream Dec. 20, the Shadwell homebred scored a facile victory in the GIII Forward Gal S. in Hallandale Jan. 30. The bay tries two turns for the first time here, but her pedigree suggests that distance should not be a problem.
'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin) takes another crack at NOLA's leading ladies here after finishing sixth behind the top two in the Rachel Alexandra. A decisive debut winner on the Woodbine synthetic in September, the $725,000 FTSAUG purchase took the Glorious Song S. there Oct. 17 and rallied to be second when trying dirt at Fair Grounds in the Jan. 16 Silverbulletday S., but failed to fire last time after being bumped and clipping heels.
Rounding out the field are Rachel Alexandra third Moon Swag (Malibu Moon); Juddmonte homebred Obligatory (Curlin), who graduated at second asking at Gulfstream Feb. 7; two-time winner Li'l Tootsie (Tapiture); and Suncoast S. third Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy).
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