Euphrosyne Out of Oaks, Sweet Reason In
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Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) winner Euphrosyne will not be entered in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), trainer Asmussen confirmed April 22.
The trainer said the daughter of Harlan's Holiday would instead be pointed to the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course on Friday, May 16.
Owned by Gillian Campbell, Ralph Stayer, Shelly Stayer, Dan Clark, and Greg Skoda, Euphrosyne was declared the winner of the Honeybee at Oaklawn Park on March 8 via the disqualification of Kentucky Oaks contender Sugar Shock. She finished third to that rival in her most recent start in the Fantasy Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
With the withdrawal of Euphrosyne, Treadway Racing Stable's Sweet Reason moved to No. 14 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard and secured a spot in the May 2 starting gate.
"I am going to discuss it with the owners," trainer Leah Gyarmati said of the filly who is stabled at Belmont Park. "We will see how she's doing and what her options are."
Sweet Reason finished third behind Oaks candidates My Miss Sophia and Got Lucky in the Gazelle (gr. II) in her most recent start April 5. She has had one work since that race, a three-furlong breeze on April 18 that she completed in :37.12.
"She may better going one turn, and there are races like the Acorn (gr. I) and Test (gr. I) coming up," Gyarmati said. "She has had excuses every time she has gone two turns.
"There was no pace in the last race and in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Fillies, gr. I), she was too far back early and moved too soon and flattened out (finishing fourth). If you are finding too many excuses for races, maybe you are not running in the right spots. I think (the Oaks) is a better setup and there should be no pace issues there."