By Joe Bianca
John Servis joined elite company last spring at Churchill Downs when he saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) to a victory in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, completing the GI Kentucky Derby/Oaks career double after his score with Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) in 2004. In Saturday's GII Demoiselle S. at Aqueduct, Servis starts a pair of promising fillies with the potential to get him back into the winner's circle on the first Friday in May.
Fox Hill Farms' Daisy (Blame) is already a graded stakes winner over the track, having dominated the GIII Tempted S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A Nov. 3. That made it two authoritative wins in two starts for the $80,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga buy, following up an eight-length rout in her career bow in the Parx slop Oct. 9. The bay returned to her Bensalem base to drill a bullet half-mile in :48 1/5 (1/8) Nov. 20 and will break from the rail in this spot.
Also unblemished out of the Servis barn is Cash is King LLC's Maurer Power (Violence). Picked up for $180,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, the dark bay scored a two-length victory debuting July 15 at Delaware. That effort earned just a 39 Beyer, but Maurer Power exploded forward by earning an 85 in a 1 1/2-length success Oct. 21 at Parx.
Gary Barber's 'TDN Rising Star' Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) looks to bounce back after a tough trip sixth in the GI 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last out. Prior to that, the $325,000 OBS April buy cruised by six lengths in the GIII Mazarine S. at Woodbine.
The progressive Held Accountable (Exchange Rate) appears to be the best local hope as she tries open company for this first time. A debut winner sprinting on the Saratoga turf, the Broman homebred upset the New York-bred Joseph A. Gimma S. Sept. 20 at Belmont and was second in the state-bred Maid of the Mist S. there Oct. 21.
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