Shedaresthedevil Still on Oaks Path After Allowance Win

Shedaresthedevil, the winner of the Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park in March, broke alertly and led every step of the way in an authoritative six-length victory over Mizzen Beau in a $75,816 allowance-level feature June 5 at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Florent Geroux and trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.89. The victory, her third in eight starts, sets her up for a regional stakes race toward the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), potentially the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) at Indiana Grand July 8 or the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland July 11.

Breaking from post 4, Shedaresthedevil rattled off quarter-mile fractions of :23.73, :47.13, and 1:10.85, with Mizzen Beau chasing one length behind. Leaving the far turn, Geroux let Shedaresthedevil loose and she extended her lead down the stretch. 

"She has tactical speed, which is very important for any horse," Geroux said. "Today I was able to get the lead, but she has proven in the past that she does well sitting off the pace. She did everything very easy today and showed that she's a talented 3-year-old filly who fits right with the rest of the (Kentucky) Oaks fillies."

Sent to post as the 7-5 favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies, Shedaresthedevil paid $4.80 to win. The $47,720 first-place check jumped her earnings to $385,368 for owners Qatar Racing Limited, Flurry Racing Stables, and Big Aut Farms. 

In her previous start, Shedaresthedevil, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Daredevil , finished a distant third behind Swiss Skydiver and Venetian Harbor—two of the early Oaks favorites—in the Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn May 1.

"This was a good steppingstone to getting her ready for the Kentucky Oaks," Cox said. "She's proved in the past that she's talented, and she's already a graded stakes winner. We'll definitely look at the schedule to point her to one of the local races this summer."

The Indiana Oaks provides Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on a 20-8-4-2 scale to its top four finishers, and the more prestigious Ashland is on a 100-40-20-10 basis. With 70 points, ranking fourth in the standings, Shedaresthedevil is well positioned to make the field, which is limited to 14 starters.

She was a $280,000 purchase by Flurry Racing Stables at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment. Bred by WinStar Farm out of the Congrats  mare Starship Warpspeed, Shedaresthedevil is a half sister to grade 3-placed Mojovation.