Shedaresthedevil Looks to Defend Title in La Troienne
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Photo: 2022 Casey Laughter
Shedaresthedevil May 1 at Churchill Downs
As divisional queen Letruska thundered home a decisive winner of the April 23 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), there were two familiar faces missing from the stacked field of older fillies and mares that afternoon at Oaklawn Park—Shesdaresthedevil and Pauline's Pearl .
The connections of the 3-2 finishers of the March 12 Azeri Stakes (G2) opted to avoid the leviathan that is Letruska and direct their charges instead to the $750,000 La Troienne Stakes Presented by Signify Health (G1) May 6 on Kentucky Oaks Day.
"It's a lot to ask off the layoff, tackling a filly like Letruska, and we want to have a filly around all year, not just the spring," said Shedaresthedevil's trainer Brad Cox. "I felt like she ran a big race and the two fillies that ran in front of her had already run this year, so I'm going to say that hopefully she'll move forward off that effort."
Shedaresthedevil ran a strong third in the Azeri in her first effort since a sixth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), where she was just one of many victims, including Letruska, to fall victim to the suicidal early pace set by Private Mission . After the Breeders' Cup, Shedaresthedevil lit up the auction ring at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, where owner Staton Flurry teamed up with Whisper Hill Farm and Qatar Racing to secure the daughter of Daredevil for $5 million.
Since shipping into Churchill Downs this spring, a track which Shedaresthedevil has thrived over ever since graduating in her June 2019 debut, the bay has recorded five consecutive works. A flawless 5-for-5 over the Louisville oval, Sharedaresthedevil notched the biggest win of her career here in the postponed edition of the 2020 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). She later added to her stellar Churchill C.V. with a tally in the Locust Grove Stakes (G3) last September.
"She loves it here (at Churchill Downs)," said Cox. "She's a very good workhorse, she's been moving great, she's happy, her weight's great, so I think she's set up for a big effort."
The Azeri to La Troienne strategy certainly played out to perfection in last year’s race when Shedaresthedevil registered a game gate-to-wire score under the Twin Spires.
Shedaresthedevil will be ridden by long-term pilot Florent Geroux.
While Shedaresthedevil is a proven grade 1 winner, the regally bred Pauline's Pearl is eyeing her first top-level success in the La Troienne.
Pauline's Peal trains in February at Oaklawn Park
"It would mean a tremendous amount for her to get her grade 1 victory in the La Troienne with her family and connections and what a special mare she is," said trainer Steve Asmussen.
A homebred for Stonestreet Stables, Pauline's Pearl was talented enough to be a graded stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed last year as a 3-year-old, but her form has arguably hit a different stratosphere in 2022. The daughter of Tapit and the grade 1-winning mare Hot Dixie Chick rolled into her 4-year-old campaign with 3 1/4-length romp in the Jan. 30 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3), earning the co-highest speed figure of her career with a 101 Equibase number. Following her race in Texas, Pauline’s Pearl put forth a titanic effort in the Azeri, powering past Shedaresthedevil in deep stretch and falling just three-quarters of a length short of catching champion Ce Ce at the line.
"She is a faster 4-year-old than she was 3-year-old,” said Asmussen. “I think her two runs this year have been solid.”
Pauline's Pearl blazed five furlongs in :59.60 two works back at Churchill April 24. Joel Rosario, the filly's partner in the Houston Ladies Classic and the Azeri, retains the mount.
Also entered from the mighty Asmussen barn is last out March 18 Oaklawn allowance optional claiming winner Jilted Bride . The multiple graded stakes-placed Wicked Strong mare, owned in partnership by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim and Anna Cambron, and Brady and Zane Carruth, dominated the field by 7 3/4 lengths that day.
The hard-knocking Battle Bling , wheeling back in three weeks from a game runner-up finish in the Top Flight Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, throws her hat in the ring in the stiffest test in her 15-start career. Since being scooped up for $62,500 by trainer Rob Atras out of an allowance optional claiming contest in December, the Vancouver filly has steadily improved in form over the Aqueduct circuit, landing the Ladies Stakes in January and placing in the March 6 Heavenly Prize Invitational Stakes. Shipping in from Atras' Belmont Park base, the filly will likely be rallying late from off the pace.
The overachieving Oklahoma-bred She's All Wolfe , fourth behind Pauline's Pearl and Shedaresthedevil in the Azeri, and recent allowance optional claiming scorers Ava's Grace and Temper Time , a winner of her last two testing the stakes waters for the first time, complete the field.
Byron King and Claire Crosby contributed to this story.
Churchill Downs, Friday, May 06, 2022, Race 6Entries: La Troienne S. presented by Signify Health (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Jilted Bride (FL)
Luis Saez
123
Steven M. Asmussen
6/1
2
2Shedaresthedevil (KY)
Florent Geroux
123
Brad H. Cox
6/5
3
3Temper Time (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
123
Dale L. Romans
12/1
4
4Battle Bling (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
123
Rob Atras
6/1
5
5She's All Wolfe (OK)
Mike E. Smith
123
Donnie K. Von Hemel
12/1
6
6Pauline's Pearl (KY)
Joel Rosario
123
Steven M. Asmussen
2/1
7
7Ava's Grace (KY)
David Cohen
123
Robertino Diodoro
15/1
