Eight Belles is the Sweet Spot for Denim and Pearls

"We just get out of the way and let them do their thing," was Randy Gullatt's assessment of Red White and Blue Racing's Denim and Pearls  and jockey Flavien Prat as they aim to capture a second consecutive graded stakes victory in the May 3 $600,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Denim and Pearls, a 3-year-old daughter of multiple leading sire Into Mischief  , comes into the seven-furlong Eight Belles off a 9 1/4-length tour de force in the April 7 Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland at the same distance. She has won three times and been second twice out of five career starts and banked $457,435.

Gullatt is the founder and manager of Red White and Blue Racing, a partnership of nine friends who have been involved in racing and wanted to combine resources to compete at the top level. They bought five horses and two have become graded stakes winners—Denim and Pearls and April 5 Transylvania Stakes (G3T) winner Neat . 

Denim and Pearls was purchased for $500,000 out of Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at Fasig-Tipton's 2022 The Saratoga Sale, its select yearling sale in New York. 

"She was beautiful, and I didn't think we could afford her, honestly," Gullatt said. "I was ecstatic because I didn't think we had a chance. But you go to the sale and do your homework and sometimes it works out. Then, her pedigree just got better."

Denim and Pearls is a full sister to Newgate , who won this year's Santa Anita Handicap (G1), but the filly does not share her brother's affinity for two-turn races.

"(Trainer) Brad (Cox) said he got a really good feel for her over the winter. He thought she was a high-level filly but felt seven-eighths to a one-turn mile was going to be money for her, and she's shown that," Gullatt said.

Denim and Pearls won a one-mile allowance optional claiming race by 3 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs in November. Fourth in that race was Tarifa , who is the 7-2 morning-line favorite in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

 "We are in a good spot, so it is up to 'Pearl'," Gullatt said. "She has proven she is outstanding at seven furlongs, and her fitness is not a problem. Brad has not had to do much with her in the morning and is just keeping her happy. We just need to get out of her way."

Cox also will be saddling another key contender in the Eight Belles, the 5-2 morning-line favorite Impel , who is a Juddmonte Farms homebred by Quality Road   out of stakes winner Your Love . Impel comes in off a third in the Ashland Stakes (G1) behind Leslie's Rose  and Just F Y I , who also will be contesting the Kentucky Oaks. Impel will break from post 1 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

Another graded stakes winner in the field is Averill Racing and Two Eight Racing's R Harper Rose , who won the Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in February and has four wins and two seconds out of six career starts. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains the filly by leading Florida sire Khozan  . She will break from the far outside in post 12 and be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.