Impel pegged as 2-1 favorite vs Just F Y I, Candied in eight-horse Ashland

Apr 03, 2024 James Scully

Just F Y I defeats Jody's Pride in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

The top three from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), including champion Just F Y I, will meet again in Friday’s $600,000 Ashland (G1), but Impel has been installed as the 2-1 favorite in her first stakes appearance. A total of eight fillies are entered for the 1 1/16-mile test on Keeneland’s opening-day program.

The Ashland serves as a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, offering the top five points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

Impel has little margin for error in her third career start, needing at least a runner-up finish to likely qualify for the 150th running of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 3. The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Quality Road has opened her racing career with a pair of smashing performances, displaying early speed breaking her maiden by nearly four lengths at Fair Grounds and rolling to a 9 1/2-length score over entry-level allowance foes at Oaklawn Park at two turns, and Florent Geroux will be up on the Juddmonte homebred.

Just F Y I comes next on the morning line at 3-1 in her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita in early November. A convincing winner of the Frizette (G1) two back, the Justify filly is perfect from three starts for Bill Mott, and the George Krikorian homebred retains the services of Junior Alvarado.

A neck second in the Juvenile Fillies, Jody’s Pride will make her second start of the year after a convincing win in the March 2 Busher at Aqueduct. Jorge Abreu trains the daughter of American Pharoah, and Jody’s Pride is listed at 8-1 with Flavien Prat.

Candied has shown an affinity for Keeneland, recording a one-length victory in the Alcibiades (G1) last October, and the Todd Pletcher trainee will look to make amends for her first setback, a close third in the Juvenile Fillies, while returning from a six-month layoff in the Ashland. Luis Saez has the call on the Candy Ride filly.

Pletcher has another contender in Leslie’s Rose, who exits a third as the favorite in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream. Bred to relish longer distances, the once-beaten filly will stretch to two turns with Irad Ortiz Jr.

Other runners include Halina’s Forte, who will step up in class for her first graded attempt following a rallying 1 3/4-length win in the Feb. 17 Ruthless S. at Aqueduct; and stakes winner Shimmering Allure, who will seek to rebound from a well-beaten third in the Jan. 13 Busanda S. at Aqueduct.

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