Female Sprinters to Vie in Deep Derby City Distaff

The top four finishers from the April 6 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland are set for a rematch in the $1 million Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) May 4 at Churchill Downs.

P. Dale Ladner's Alva Starr —never worse than second in eight career starts—got the run of the race in the Madison, stalking from fourth place early then pouncing in the stretch to win by a half-length over Vahva . The 4-year-old Lord Nelson filly, bred in Kentucky by Ladner and her trainer Brett Brinkman, has the 7 post this time in an excellent field of 10 fillies and mares 4 years old and upward. Alva Starr was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Vahva, a 4-year-old Gun Runner   filly owned by a partnership of nine owners, rallied late but came up short in the Madison, which was her first race in 5 1/2 months. Vahva won the Charles Town Oaks (G3) and Raven Run Stakes (G2) to close out her 3-year-old season. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode her in the Madison and has the return ride here for trainer Cherie DeVaux from post 10.

Madison third-place Red Carpet Ready  is moving to a favorable course and trip, having won the seven-furlong Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill last year. Although beaten five lengths in the Madison, she set fractions of :21.98 and :45.01 from the inside while absorbing a lot of early pressure to her outside.

Red Carpet Ready, owned by Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing and trained by Rusty Arnold, drew the 9 post, outside the other speed in the Derby City Distaff. Jockey Luis Saez has ridden the 4-year-old Oscar Performance   filly in her last six races and he may have the option to time his move a little better Saturday.

Madison fourth-place Sterling Silver , who failed to make an impact with her late rally at Keeneland, makes her first start for trainer Lance Rutledge, who replaces the recently retired Thomas Albertrani.

At seven furlongs on the dirt, the Derby City looks like a prelude to the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. The Derby City is part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series, and the top three finishers will receive bonus credits of $15,000, $7,500, and $3,750 that can be used to offset entry fees for the year-end Breeders' Cup race.

Other Contenders

As strong as the Madison quartet looked, there are other challengers that could put them to the test:

• Three Witches  ships in from Santa Anita Park, where she won the Santa Monica Stakes (G2) in her most recent start Feb. 3 for new owner Yuesheng Zhang and trainer Michael McCarthy. The now 5-year-old Into Mischief   mare won the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G3) and ran third in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Three Witches changed hands for $1.7 million at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.
• Castleton Lyons' Chi Town Lady , winner of the 2022 Test Stakes (G1), makes her first start since winning the Minaret Stakes Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs. The 5-year-old Verrazano  mare has a lot of layoff lines in her past performances, but she has won fresh before and has been working fast for trainer Wesley Ward at Keeneland.
• Florida shippers Olivia Darling  and Spirit Wind  finished second and third, respectively, behind Red Carpet Ready in their most recent start in the March 9 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Spirit Wind will add blinkers for trainer Joseph.