Ocean Breeze, Billy Batts Head Iowa Oaks, Iowa Derby

Ocean Breeze may be named as if she was meant for racing on one of the coasts, but her talent is taking her to America's heartland July 5 for the $100,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows.

The 3-year-old Curlin  filly ventures into stakes company for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile race, one of four stakes at Prairie Meadows on Sunday as part of its Festival of Racing, including the $100,000 Iowa Derby for 3-year-olds. Although inexperienced, she is not short of ability. Following a debut fourth April 19 at Oaklawn Park in the slop, she was a second-out winner May 25 by 8 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs.

In that race over 6 1/2 furlongs, the Wayne Catalano trainee settled just off the early pace while in fifth early, passed horses three wide, and decisively pulled away to complete the distance on a fast track in 1:16.56. Her final sixteenth was timed in :06.25 under Martin Garcia, who has been named to ride again Sunday.

#11 Ocean Breeze (9/5) breaks his maiden in impressive fashion for Wayne Catalano at @ChurchillDowns pic.twitter.com/UURxdBGrEf

— TwinSpires (@TwinSpires) May 25, 2020

"She's doing good," Catalano said of the filly, who has since recorded a couple of bullet workouts at Churchill Downs. "She's showed some talent, doing everything we want her to do. She's coming off a real nice race."

Although she has yet to route, both her sire and her dam, the Harlan's Holiday mare Oceanwave, were capable of running long. Oceanwave also raced for Catalano and placed in the 2015 Honeybee Stakes (G3), Fantasy Stakes (G3), and Indiana Oaks (G2) for Ocean Breeze's owners and breeders, Gary and Mary West.

"Pedigree-wise, she can do the distance," Catalano said of Ocean Breeze.

She is entered against six other fillies, including three others who last raced at Churchill Downs. Traveling farthest of all is Dynasty of Her Own, a two-time stakes winner who captured the May 31 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields last out for trainer Jonathan Wong and owner Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.

Ricky Gonzalez has the mount.

Also entered are Lagoon Falls, Queen Bridget, Flat Out Speed, Strong Flag, and Aurelia Garland. Queen Bridget is cross-entered in the July 4 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park.

Billy Batts Tackles Dirt Again in Iowa Derby

The Iowa Derby is no longer graded like the Iowa Oaks after being downgraded to listed status in 2018. Festival of Racing purses were slashed this year due to COVID-19, the Oaks dropping from $200,000 and the Iowa Derby from $250,000.

Stakes-winning Billy Batts, second in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) for previous trainer Peter Miller, is the richest earner in the Iowa Derby with a bankroll of $303,560 —though he remains a question mark on dirt. Campaigned primarily on turf, he has raced just once on dirt, finishing seventh in the Samba Saudi Derby Cup in Saudi Arabia Feb. 29.

Steve Asmussen now trains the 3-year-old City Zip ridgling for Sharif Mohammed Alhariri, who became his owner this year. 

Asmussen's regular rider, Ricardo Santana Jr., will ride.

Favored at 2-1 is Shashashakemeup, who after being outrun over the winter in a series of races at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has rebounded in recent months with an allowance-level win April 5 at Oaklawn and a runner-up finish in an allowance optional claimer June 21 at Churchill, though both races were six-furlong sprints.

The Iowa Derby, like the Oaks, is at 1 1/16 miles. Neither race offers qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby or Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Alex Birzer will be aboard Calumet Farm's Shashashakemeup, a son of 2011 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Shackleford trained by Keith Desormeaux.

Entries: Iowa Oaks (G3)

Prairie Meadows, Sunday, July 05, 2020, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 7:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Lagoon Falls (KY)	David Cabrera	112	Karl Broberg	15/1
2	2Queen Bridget (KY)	Sophie Doyle	112	John Alexander Ortiz	10/1
3	3Flat Out Speed (IA)	Alex L. Canchari	118	Lynn Chleborad	6/1
4	4Strong Flag (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	5/2
5	5Aurelia Garland (KY)	David Cohen	112	Rodolphe Brisset	4/1
6	6Ocean Breeze (KY)	Martin Garcia	118	Wayne M. Catalano	4/1
7	7Dynasty of Her Own (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	118	Jonathan Wong	7/2

Entries: Iowa Derby

Prairie Meadows, Sunday, July 05, 2020, Race 8

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo
• 7:08 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Acre (KY)	Martin Garcia	113	William I. Mott	5/1
2	2Hondo Lane (KY)	Elvin Gonzalez	113	Shawn H. Davis	8/1
3	3Prodigious Bay (MD)	David Cabrera	116	Ron Moquett	4/1
4	4Billy Batts (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	119	Steven M. Asmussen	3/1
5	5Shashashakemeup (KY)	Alex Birzer	116	J. Keith Desormeaux	2/1
6	6Letmeno (KY)	Alex L. Canchari	113	Ian R. Wilkes	5/1