Intricate, V V’s Dream reappear in Rachel Alexandra

Feb 11, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Intricate rolled in the Golden Rod (Photo by Coady Photography)

Just as the Risen Star (G2) marks the turning point on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail, so does the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) ring in the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile contest likewise offers an enhanced points format of 50-25-15-10-5 to the top five finishers, with a similar dynamic of the local form being tested by major winners returning to action.

The high-profile comebackers in the Rachel Alexandra are both fillies who scored their signature wins at Churchill Downs, Intricate and V V’s Dream. Intricate romped in the Nov. 25 Golden Rod (G2) in her latest for Brendan Walsh, who also trained last year’s Rachel Alexandra winner Pretty Mischievous. The eventual Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine, Pretty Mischievous was honored as the champion three-year-old filly of 2023.

V V’s Dream kicked off the Road to the Kentucky Oaks by conquering the Sept. 16 Pocahontas (G3). Although the Ken McPeek trainee has lost her ensuing starts, she was a terrific second in the Alcibiades (G1) to Candied, who came back to place a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). V V’s Dream was under serious Breeders’ Cup consideration herself before opting for the Oct. 29 Rags to Riches S. back at Churchill, where she wound up a slow-starting third in the slop. The daughter of champion first-crop sire Mitole is eligible to bounce back.

Representing the recent Oaks preps at Fair Grounds are Brad Cox trainees Alpine Princess and West Omaha, who served up the exacta in the Dec. 23 Untapable S. Alpine Princess skipped the next scoring race, the Jan. 20 Silverbulletday, and West Omaha stepped up with a dominant performance over Perfect Shot.

Alpine Princess made the most of her tactical advantage as the controlling speed in the Untapable. But she wasn’t a need-the-lead type beforehand, and the presence of stretch-out sprinter Pennick in the Rachel Alexandra doesn’t figure to be a problem. The question is whether Alpine Princess can confirm her form over West Omaha. The Untapable didn’t unfold favorably for West Omaha, who could turn the tables on Alpine Princess with a different race flow on Saturday.

Note that Sistina Chapel, the third-placer in both the Untapable and Silverbulletday, is dropping into an allowance earlier on Saturday. That fifth race (2:56 p.m. ET) could serve as a barometer of the depth of the Fair Grounds stakes form. Like the Rachel Alexandra, the allowance is held over the same distance as the March 23 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).

Cox is triple-handed in the Rachel Alexandra, with Godolphin’s Tarifa joining the Oaks party in her stakes debut. A six-length winner of her unveiling at Keeneland, the Bernardini filly was subsequently overturned in fourth in a Churchill allowance. At Fair Grounds last out, Tarifa passed her two-turn test, albeit in somewhat workmanlike fashion. Since her dam (mother) is closely related to Oxbow and Paynter, from the immediate family of Hall of Famer Tiznow, stamina shouldn’t be an issue.

Silverbulletday runner-up Perfect Shot, like Intricate, is by hot young sire Gun Runner. Thus she has a license to improve for Steve Asmussen, especially going back up to the 1 1/16-mile distance of her Churchill maiden win. The aforementioned Pennick jumps up markedly in both class and trip after winning both starts in sprints.

The Rachel Alexandra is carded as the 13th race, just prior to the Risen Star on Louisiana Derby Preview Day, and you can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.

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