The John Henry bay filly earned a single KYO point in her last effort placing fourth in the Suncoast Stakes at TAM,and with this wide open field of contenders hoping to grab the top spot and the fifty points it offers, many of these ladies will be hungry for the kill.

• SUN Oaks ( KYO) – Purse $200.000
• Sunland Park- For Three Year old Fillies
• One Mile and One Sixteenth in distance- Main Track
• Sunday March 22nd, 2020,
• Event Record-Musical Treat ( Mb Stables) 1:41.59 ( 2017)

Twelve runners will go post ward here on Sunday to compete in this Kentucky Oaks registered event, all in hopes of breaking the cloud that looms over this event when it comes to its winner being able to capture the latter Oaks event in Kentucky. A few past winners have gone on to win the prestigious Gr. II Black Eyed Susan Stakes on Preakness weekend, but never the KY Oaks.

So will Zero Twist be able to step up with a late run and capture this affair and slide into a top ten placement, or will someone make the showing at the wire and upset the apple cart?

1 Chichier ( Paradise Stables ) Jockey-Bridgmohan S X…Closed out last season with her maiden victory against a lower level MdSpWt12 class. Opened the season taking on the $75.000 Glitter Woman, but faded down the lane. While she has the posted, the distance is untried and with her performance in last, will be a challenge.

2 In The Slot ( Mb Stables) Jockey- Davis D…This will be this fillies third start of the season, and she has a win at the allowance level, and a show finish in her most recent $75.000 Island Stakes. Trainer has had his named etched three times already to this title, but has yet to win back to back victories. Has the distance experience, and should get up for a share.

3 Up Ended ( Team 7 Illusions) Jockey- Beschizza A...Was a regular runner last season up at Woodbine with four starts, and a maiden victory. Closed out last season in the South Ocean placing third, five lengths out. Took a three month break before her start this season, and she found a runner-up effort against Clm25 company. Didn’t find any takers, and now the Lasix comes off for this affair. Will it help?

4 Odd Trek ( D J C Racing Stables) Jockey-Jaramillo E… This trainer/horse and jockey have teamed up twice before in the past three races and they managed to visit the winners enclosure both times. That kind of success deserves merit for this affair even though they were shorter sprint events. Has runaway with a four length victory in the past going longer. Factor

5 Pocono Fashion ( Nakamura Stables) Jockey-Cedillo A…First of two runners for this trainer. Has finished in the top three in all five of her career starts, with two wins to her credit. Is coming off a victory in her first route event last time out against OpClm40 company and now her trainer wants to see if the longer distance will be productive for her. Was making slight improvements at SA at the mile distance, so she may surprise here.

6 Real Speed ( Aer Stables) Jockey-Chirinos R…Jockey is firing at 38% when aboard fillies and mares, and has been build a good record over this surface. While she didn’t find the turf footing to her benefit as she missed in last seasons BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. Opener this season saw her stay consistently just on the edge throughout and now looks to build off that effort. SRF numbers are on the rise, and should definitely use this event to set the bar for the future. Fringe?

7 Wiperblade ( Jive Inc) Jockey-Espinoza V...Trainer is hoping that he can get this bay filly on the same page as Truly Deeply Madly who has already captured two stakes titles this season. Purchased this past Valentines day, hopefully the love will be shared with her backers this day. Improve one whole second in ten days over at SA going a mile in distance in the morning, so hopefully that points to this trainer working out her abilities. Lasix is off today!

8 Zero Twist ( John Henry) Jockey-Bejarano R…Is hoping to gain enough points today to make a swift move up in the standings here.Broke her maiden to close out last season and then opened this year with a win in the $175.000 Glitter Woman. She has only had four starts to her career after a late juvenile start and wasn’t drawing the attraction at the betting window, but should get better respect for this event. In the Hunt.

9 Querencia ( Smokey Stover) Jockey-Velazquez J R…After breaking her maiden last season as the hot post time favorite at Parx, she has come back to two show placings in recent events. The most recent being against Alw42 company where she missed by a length with a late closing effort. Gets a little more distance to play with here and a recent mile of work of 1:36 and three six days prior can show she is ready for this event. Hopefully it will not be another show placing today.

10 Sheza Star ( Aml Racing) Jockey-Hernandez B J Jr…Another late starter as a juvenile with only two starts, breaking her maiden in first asking, then closing out her year with a victory at WO in the restricted $125.000 ONT Lassie Stakes. Opener of this season wasn’t what her trainer was hoping for coming off that closer last year as she would place sixth as the post time favorite. Bute made it’s debut for that event, and now it has been quickly removed here.Was it the cause for the poor performance? Guess we will see today.

11 Time Lady ( Nakamura Stables) Jockey-Gryder A T…Trainer has been using this jockey in a few events of late, so he must feel some kind of connection. Found two victories last season in five starts and went right to work at the stakes level this season with a show finish in the CA Cup Oaks affair at SA after leading early on.Both most recent have come on the turf and now makes the switch. Will more then likely look to go on top from this outside post and hopefully she doesn’t get used up early.

12 Maui Underworld ( Lazy Lizard) Jockey-Contreras L…Outside post will definitely play a factor for this sophomore. Definitely will look to drop in behind horses in the early fractions, then hopefully make the swing off the turn for the run for home. Had success at GG with two victories and that track is very similar to this oval other then being ten feet longer down the lane. Contreras has finished 30 of 34 in the money when aboard fillies and mares, so he can close late to make a placing.

Picks: 8-3-5-10

Trainer Highlight: At the time of this writing, Lazy Lizard was just a mere one win in forty five starts this season. It has been mentioned a numerous times by many trainers that this season has been not that kind to them when it comes to collecting wins. So has been the case for Lazy Lizard. A member of HRP since 2005 when he took the likes of Hondo Pass to a four length victories over at MNR, his career has accounted for two Grade III victories, a single Grade II win, and his solo Grade I victory with April Wine in the Test Stakes in 2007. He remained absent from the graded company events for a number of seasons till he returned last season with today’s entry Maui Underworld in the Gr. II Golden Rod affair where she would place sixth. While he has never won a HRP award, meet title, a Triple Crown or BC event in his career, his love of horses and this game is evident with his commitment to stay this many years. While others have been successful and have moved on, Lazy Lizard has be a testament to the true meaning of this game, just the love of it. Yes Hondo Pass was probably one of the greatest feelings to get him hooked, only to be surpassed by April Wine’s efforts, but now he has the likes of Maui Underworld and another sophomore filly by the name of Hulu to build on. I wish him nothing but success this season and hope he continues to enjoy this game. Drop him a line and just say hi, my hats off to you my friend.

Duffer

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded