Asmussen Eyes Fifth Iowa Oaks Win With Pauline's Pearl
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Photo: Coady Photography
Pauline's Pearl works prior to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs
Trainer Steve Asmussen has captured two of the past three editions of the Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows and this year he eyes another victory in the July 2 test for sophomore fillies with Stonestreet Stables' homebred Pauline's Pearl .
Asmussen has won the race, which this year offers a $225,000 purse, four times overall.
The regally bred daughter of Tapit carries the high weight of 121 pounds, along with George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) victress Army Wife and Busanda Stakes winner The Grass Is Blue in the 1 1/16-mile trip around the Prairie Meadows oval.
Pauline's Pearl burst onto the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) scene in March when she finished an encouraging second in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park after encountering traffic in deep stretch. Brought back a month later in the Fantasy Stakes (G3), Pauline's Pearl added "graded stakes winner" to her résumé with a game score to punch her ticket into the Kentucky Oaks starting gate. After racing close to the pace in that April 30 test at Churchill Downs, Pauline's Pearl lacked her customary kick with a furlong to go, finishing out of the money for just the second time in her career.
"She was in good position for it," Asmussen said.
Unraced since the Kentucky Oaks, the big gray filly enters Friday's race with regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard. Santana partnered with Asmussen to sweep the 2018 Iowa Oaks with She's a Julie and in 2019 with Lady Apple . They will break from the 2 post in the field of 7.
Pauline's Pearl, described by Stonestreet advisor John Moynihan as a "late-maturing" filly that has "come into her own" this year, has put together a solid worktab at Asmussen's Churchill base in preparation for the Iowa Oaks. Two works back, she blitzed five panels in 1:00 2/5 June 20.
"Tapit out of Hot Dixie Chick —time and distance have helped her. We’re expecting a big run in the Iowa Oaks," her Hall of Fame trainer said.
Army Wife wins the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
Perhaps the top form of the race belongs to Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife. The Declaration of War filly didn't make her 3-year-old debut until March 13, where she edged her rivals in an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park before finishing a troubled third in the April 3 Gazelle Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack. In Pimlico's Black-Eyed Susan May 14, the bay benefited from a ground-saving trip from jockey Joel Rosario, storming home a 2 3/4 length winner, defeating the opposing The Grass Is Blue in the process.
New-York based Rosario makes the trip out to Prairie Meadows to ride Army Wife in the Iowa Oaks. The pair will start from the inside.
Medallion Racing, Charles Deters, and Parkland Thoroughbreds' The Grass Is Blue will make her first start for trainer Bill Mott in Friday's race. Previously trained by Chad Brown, the Broken Vow filly started her 2021 campaign with a win in the Jan. 24 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct. She has failed to find the winner's circle in three starts since that effort, finishing sixth in the Black-Eyed-Susan.
Junior Alvarado has the call on the The Grass Is Blue from post 5.
The top two finishers of Prairie Meadows' local prep for the Iowa Oaks, the Panthers Stakes, Oliviaofthedesert and Sister Annie , will try their luck against stiffer competition Friday. The field is rounded out by Fox Hill Farms' Windmill , who took the Feb. 28 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn and recent Indiana Grand allowance winner Shesa Mystery .
Prairie Meadows, Friday, July 02, 2021, Race 7Entries: Iowa Oaks (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Army Wife (KY)
Joel Rosario
121
Michael J. Maker
5/2
2
2Pauline's Pearl (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
121
Steven M. Asmussen
2/1
3
3Sister Annie (KY)
Florent Geroux
115
Brad H. Cox
6/1
4
4Shesa Mystery (KY)
David Cabrera
112
Jeff A. Hiles
12/1
5
5The Grass Is Blue (KY)
Junior Alvarado
121
William I. Mott
5/1
6
6Oliviaofthedesert (KY)
Shane Laviolette
115
Kenneth G. McPeek
6/1
7
7Windmill (KY)
Alex Birzer
118
J. Larry Jones
8/1
