2019 Roxelana Stakes Study Guide

Jun 20, 2019 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A pair of recent dynamic graded stakes winners headline a field of 10 in Saturday’s $120,000 Roxelana Stakes. The six-furlong dash on the main surface is not your average listed stakes event with a trio of runners coming off the biggest wins of their respective careers.

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Here is the cast:

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Awestruck Career Racing Stats

20 Starts
4 Wins
5 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $306,228

Top BRIS Speed rating (98) in unplaced run in 2018 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2)

Owner: G. Watts Humphrey Jr.
Breeder: Chester and Anne Prince (KY)
Trainer: Rusty Arnold
Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Tizfiz
Color: Gray/Roan

This capable mare was compromised by a troubled trip in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3) most recently but could be a factor here with improvement. The daughter of Tapit is a two-time winner on the Churchill Downs strip and looks like an exotics contender with her best. Julien Leparoux picks up the mount.

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Covfefe Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
3 Wins
0 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $196,200

Top BRIS Speed rating (110) in Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) romp

Owner: LNJ Foxwoods
Breeder: Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds (KY)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Antics
Color: Bay

This budding star ran a proverbial hole in the wind at Pimlico last time with an eye-popping performance in the Miss Preakness Stakes (G3). The $250,000 yearling purchase has brilliant early foot and she broke her maiden by 9 1/4 lengths in her lone previous try beneath the Twin Spires. The sophomore filly faces elders for the initial time in this affair with Shaun Bridgmohan back in the silks.

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Honey Bunny Career Racing Stats

31 Starts
14 Wins
5 Place
4 Show
Total Career Earnings: $417,145

Top BRIS Speed rating (97) in optional claiming tally at Keeneland three back

Owner: Hooties Racing LLC, WSS Racing LLC, 4G Racing LLC
Breeder: Frederick M. Allor and Michael T. Barnett (KY)
Trainer: John Ortiz
Jockey: Tyler Baze

Sire: Tapizar
Dam: Sennockian Storm
Color: Bay

The streaking five-year-old has reeled off a handful of wins in succession, including a closing triumph in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3) in advance of this assignment. The Tapizar mare is already six-for-seven this campaign, and she is keeping her fine form, evidenced by her bullet half-mile breeze last out. The versatile mare will be rallying from off the pace in this spot.     

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Ascot Day Career Racing Stats

10 Starts
3 Wins
3 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $181,265

Top BRIS Speed rating (93) in 2018 maiden victory

Owner: Shadwell Stable
Breeder: Hadi Al Tajir (KY)
Trainer: Daniel Pietz
Jockey: Declan Cannon

Sire: Street Sense
Dam: Ascot Eye
Color: Dark Bay

This longshot faces stakes foes for the first time in an ambitious placement. The four-year-old has put in two good races in succession but will need a lifetime best to challenge for a top-four finish against this fine cast.

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Astrollinthepark Career Racing Stats

18 Starts
5 Wins
4 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $276,282

Top BRIS Speed rating (98) in 2018 Roxelana Stakes score and optional claiming third at Oaklawn Park

Owner: Dreamchaser Thorobreds
Breeder: Dreamchaser Thorobreds (KY)
Trainer: Larry Jones
Jockey: Gabriel Saez

Sire: Divine Park
Dam: All In With Aces
Color: Bay

This mare overcame a poor break to be a clear second on this course most recently in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3). A winner of this race in 2018, the Kentucky-bred has room for improvement in her second outing this season. The tactical mare will be tracking the pace early on as a top-three contender.

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Classy Act Career Racing Stats

13 Starts
3 Wins
4 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $215,583

Top BRIS Speed rating (96) in 2018 allowance tally at Churchill Downs

Owner: Carl R. Moore Management LLC
Breeder: George Krikorian (KY)
Trainer: Joe Sharp
Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Acting Class
Color: Dark Bay

This Grade 2-placed filly tired late in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3) in her first run of the campaign, which was also her first endeavor for trainer Joe Sharp. The four-year-old showed a lot of class as a sophomore, and her best race came on this surface, which is a positive sign. The talented miss will be forwardly placed and could be a contender with excellent value.

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Upset Brewing Career Racing Stats

23 Starts
3 Wins
11 Place
4 Show
Total Career Earnings: $259,320

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) in February allowance second at Fair Grounds

Owner: Allied Racing Stable LLC
Breeder: Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estates (KY)
Trainer: William Bradley
Jockey: Edgar Morales

Sire: Justin Phillip
Dam: Tipperary Moon
Color: Bay

This filly led to late stretch before checking in third in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3) most recently. The Kentucky-bred is winless from eight tries at Churchill Downs, but she has hit the board in seven of those outings. The four-year-old will need a big forward move to make an impact against this group.

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Salt Bae Career Racing Stats

17 Starts
4 Wins
4 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $186,965

Top BRIS Speed rating (96) in allowance second at Oaklawn Park in 2018

Owner: Naveed Chowhan
Breeder: John D. Fielding and Fred W. Hertrich III (KY)
Trainer: Bernie Flint
Jockey: Corey Lanerie

Sire: Paynter
Dam: Agatha
Color: Dark Bay

The dark bay filly shows declining form in preparation of this dash and would be a big surprise. The speedy sort is a dual winner in 2019, but she will need to reverse form in a hurry to be in the mix late on this occasion. This lass will be a pace player from the opening bell under the guidance of Corey Lanerie.

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Annathela Career Racing Stats

22 Starts
4 Wins
7 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $251,337

Top BRIS Speed rating (96) in 2018 allowance victory at Keeneland

Owner: Michael and Reiko Baum
Breeder: Michael and Reiko Baum (KY)
Trainer: Rusty Arnold
Jockey: James Graham

Sire: Elusive Quality
Dam: Ethel Anna
Color: Dark Bay

One of two in the field for conditioner Rusty Arnold, the six-year-old has failed to make her mark in a pair of stakes races in advance of this try. The Kentucky-bred dons a solid 11-3-4-1 mark at Churchill Downs, and she also has room to move forward second time off the shelf. However, this mare has yet to prove capable of challenging this type of quality and she will be a longshot in this spot.

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Mia Mischief Career Racing Stats

14 Starts
6 Wins
6 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $883,420

Top BRIS Speed rating (103) in Humana Distaff (G1) win

Owner: Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables LLC, Madakat Stables LLC
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Greer Lynn
Color: Bay

This classy four-year-old was much the best in the Humana Distaff (G1) last out in garnering her initial Grade 1 triumph. The Kentucky-bred bay has substantial gate speed but is also capable of rating off the pace, which gives her plenty of options from the outside post slot. Mia Mischief shows five morning breezes in advance of this one and will be ultra-tough with anything like her latest endeavor – the one to beat.