A Mo Reay, Pauline's Pearl Battle in Fleur de Lis

Two grade 1 winning fillies, both returning to action after last-out defeats in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Oaks Day, are set to duel in the $400,000 Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) July 1 at Ellis Park.

Hunter Valley Farm’s A Mo Reay  is one of those fillies. Since being purchased by Hunter Valley’s Fergus Galvin for $400,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale, the 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo   has elevated her performance level for her new connections. The winner of two races in nine starts under Hall trainer Todd Pletcher, Galvin sent A Mo Reay to the barn of Kentucky trainer Brad Cox and she flourished under Cox’s care, rattling off three stakes consecutive wins capped by a top-level victory in the March 11 Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

Finding herself much further off the pace than usual when second to last early on in the May 5 La Troienne, A Mo Reay rallied wide around the far turn and was fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths and 1 1/2 lengths behind third-place finisher Search Results .

Reunited back with jockey Flavien Prat Saturday, A Mo Reay should sit much closer to the pace this time due to an overall lack of early speed in the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis.

Another class competitor seeking redemption is Stonestreet Stable’s Pauline's Pearl . The 5-year-old Tapit   mare appeared posed for an exciting campaign earlier this year after a repeat triumph in the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park. However, she struggled home in seventh to A Mo Reay when venturing west for the Beholder Mile and then faded to sixth, beaten seven lengths, in the La Troienne in her most recent outing, a race she captured last year over 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil .

Ridden back by Joel Rosario, the blue-blooded Pauline’s Pearl exits a bullet five-furlong work at Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s Churchill Downs home base at Churchill Downs in 1:00 4/5 June 24.

Apart from the top shooters, Altair Farm’s Royal Take Charge  enters Saturday’s starting gate on the upswing for trainer Al Stall Jr. While A Mo Reay and Pauline’s Pearl have yet to win over the nine-furlong trip, Royal Take Charge handled the distance with ease in her most recent outing. The lightly-raced daughter of Will Take Charge  was an impressive 6 3/4 length victress of a second-level allowance optional claiming race May 27 at Churchill Downs.

Oaklawn Park leading rider Cristian Torres, new to the Kentucky riding circuit this year, has the call on Royal Take Charge. Through racing June 23, Torres was 8-for-30 (27%) at the ongoing Ellis Park spring/summer race meet.