Shedaresthedevil Returns to Racing in Azeri Stakes

March 13 will mark the first appearance of Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) victress Shedaresthedevil since she capped her sophomore season with a hard-running third in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) last October. The daughter of Daredevil  will make her comeback in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park as part of a brace of fillies sent out from the barn of Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox. 

Owned and campaigned by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing, and Big Aut Farms, Shedaresthedevil was thrust into the spotlight in 2020 when she managed to upset heavy Oaks favorite, Swiss Skydiver, in the rescheduled American classic race. Already a multiple stakes winner by the time she lined up in the Churchill Downs gate in September, the filly blasted toward the finish line and managed to hold off Swiss Skydiver—who had stumbled slightly at the start—by 1 1/2 lengths to take the victory. 

Following her defeat in the Spinster, Shedaresthedevil was given time off before returning to training in February. She most recently breezed five furlongs March 6 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where she was clocked in 1:00 1/5. Florent Geroux, who was aboard for the filly's Oaks win, will have the call in the Azeri from the outside post 5.

"In a perfect schedule, I would have liked to have gotten a few more works into her," said Cox. "But her last two works have been really, really good. Kind of really was the decision-maker. Her last two works have been well in hand. She's doing well. Her weight's good, so I feel confident she's going to run a good race. I don't think she's 100% tight, but she's very close."

Joining Shedaresthedevil is stablemate Getridofwhatailesu, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper  mare owned by The Elkstone Group. The Azeri will be the first step up to graded company for the mare, who started off 2021 a winner when she pulled off a tremendous late-running move from the back of the field in the one-mile Pippin Stakes Jan.23 at Oaklawn.

Javier Castellano will pilot Getridofwhatailesu from post 5 in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri. 

Also making her 2021 debut in the Azeri is multiple graded stakes winner Envoutante. Trained by Kenny McPeek and owned in partnership by Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, the 4-year-old Uncle Mo  filly closed out her 3-year-old campaign with back-to-back victories in the Remington Park Oaks (G3) and Falls City Stakes (G2). 

McPeek, who plans to run champion and classic winner Swiss Skydiver in Saturday's Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park, said he purposely targeted the Azeri for Envoutante to keep the two talents from battling one another. 

"I wanted to keep Swiss Skydiver and Envoutante separated," said McPeek. "I didn't think a mile was suitable for Envoutante, and fortunately both clients are fine with going with the path that suits his horse. There's no sense in butting heads. They are both exceptional fillies. Envoutante doesn't get the headlines 'Swiss' gets, but she's a very, very good filly, and she's doing very good right now." 

Should all go well on Saturday for Envoutante, McPeek indicated that the filly will likely remain in Arkansas to pursue a start in the April 17 Apple Blossom (G1). 

Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the call on Envoutante from the rail. 

Completing the Azeri field are MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm's stakes winner Motion Emotion, and St. George Stables' homebred filly Letruska, who enters off a win in the Jan. 31 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park for trainer Fausto Gutierrez. 

Entries: Azeri S. (G2)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 13, 2021, Race 5

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $350,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:03 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Envoutante (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Kenneth G. McPeek	5/2
2	2Motion Emotion (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	117	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1
3	3Letruska (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Fausto Gutierrez	3/1
4	4Getridofwhatailesu (KY)	Javier Castellano	121	Brad H. Cox	3/1
5	5Shedaresthedevil (KY)	Florent Geroux	119	Brad H. Cox	2/1