Rayya, Sassy Sienna Aim to Bounce Back in Iowa Oaks

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Rayya, Sassy Sienna Aim to Bounce Back in Iowa Oaks
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Rayya prepping for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs

A pair of grade 3-winning fillies who finished off the board in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) will return to racing when Rayya and Sassy Sienna contest the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

A field of 10 3-year-old fillies has entered Thursday's 1 1/16-mile Iowa Oaks, one of three stakes on the night card that also includes the $100,000 Iowa Distaff and $100,000 Saylorville Stakes. These three stakes are part of a rich two days at Prairie Meadows, which is offering seven stakes worth $1,120,000. The July 6 program features four stakes that included the Iowa Derby and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3).

In the Iowa Oaks, Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's Rayya aims for her first victory in the United States after finishing 13th in her U.S. debut in the Kentucky Oaks. That race also marked her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Rayya was shipped to the U.S. and moved to Baffert's barn after a successful March, when she won the UAE Oaks Sponsored by Al Naboodah Construction Group (G3) and then finish second against males in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2). Until the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Tiz Wonderful had finished first or second in all of her starts.

Sassy Sienna boasts an ownership group that includes, among others, China Horse Club, a co-owner of Triple Crown winner Justify; and Zayat Stables, owner of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah . Trained by Brad Cox, who sent out Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl, Sassy Sienna makes her return after a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. 

Before the Oaks, Sassy Sienna, by Midshipman , registered a narrow victory over Wonder Gadot in the Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 13 at Oaklawn Park. That effort marked her third straight stakes placing and it was flattered when Wonder Gadot defeated males June 30 in the Queen's Plate Canadian classic on the synthetic surface at Woodbine.

Thursday's field also includes Todd Dunn and Norma Lee Stockseth's Cosmic Burst, who will be making her first start since finishing fourth in the Fantasy. Before that race, Cosmic Burst, a daughter of Violence , won the March 10 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn.

Older fillies and mares also will try 1 1/16 miles Thursday in the Iowa Distaff, which has drawn a field of nine including Mended, a former claiming horse who won 10 of 11 starts last year and earned a grade 1 placing this year when second in the Santa Margarita Stakes.

In the $100,000 Saylorville Stakes, Cox will saddle 8-5 morning-line favorite Golden Mischief. The daughter of Into Mischief  will try for her fifth career stakes victory in the six-furlong test.


Entries: Saylorville S.

Prairie Meadows, Thursday, July 05, 2018, Race 6

  • STK
  • 6f
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 8:22 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Honey Bunny (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Santo Sanjur 120 John Alexander Ortiz 3/1
2 2Defy (KY) Alex Birzer 120 D. Kelly Ackerman 8/1
3 3Swing and Sway (NY) David Cabrera 123 Ron Moquett 4/1
4 4Dreamin (IA) Ramon A. Vazquez 114 Michael J. Maker 10/1
5 5Foxy Mischief (FL)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alex L. Canchari 113 Brandi Steele 12/1
6 6Jersey Heist (KY) Terry J. Thompson 123 Federico Villafranco 6/1
7 7Golden Mischief (KY) Florent Geroux 123 Brad H. Cox 8/5




Entries: Iowa Distaff S.

Prairie Meadows, Thursday, July 05, 2018, Race 7

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 8:55 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Mostly Awesome (KY) John Bisono 116 Timothy E. Martin 20/1
2 2Babybluesbdancing (IL) Julio E. Felix 120 Terrel Gore 10/1
3 3Foxy Fleda (IA) Larren Delorme 114 Lyle D. Johnston 20/1
4 4Girl Power (KY) Terry J. Thompson 118 Don Von Hemel 8/1
5 5Decant (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ken S. Tohill 114 Chris A. Hartman 15/1
6 6Jenda's Agenda (KY) Florent Geroux 123 J. Larry Jones 4/1
7 7Mended (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Gonzalez 114 John F. Martin 7/5
8 8Divine Dutchess (KY) Chya Johnstone 114 Boyd Caster 15/1
9 9Dreamcall (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 120 Steven M. Asmussen 5/1




Entries: Iowa Oaks (G3)

Prairie Meadows, Thursday, July 05, 2018, Race 8

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $200,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 9:28 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Hold Her Tight (KY) Terry J. Thompson 118 J. Larry Jones 12/1
2 2Shes Our Fastest (TX) Alex Birzer 115 Scott Gelner 15/1
3 3Baydar (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alex L. Canchari 112 Jon G. Arnett 20/1
4 4She's a Julie (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 115 Steven M. Asmussen 5/1
5 5Cosmic Burst (PA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Richard E. Eramia 121 Donnie K. Von Hemel 6/1
6 6Rayya (KY) Joseph Talamo 121 Bob Baffert 5/2
7 7Testing One Two (LA) Edgar S. Prado 118 Victor Arceneaux 8/1
8 8Terra's Angel (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Sasha Risenhoover 115 Karl Broberg 10/1
9 9Sassy Sienna (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Florent Geroux 121 Brad H. Cox 4/1
10 10Tell Your Mama (KY) David Cabrera 112 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 15/1