She's a Julie Delivers Special Win for Owner Castille

Owner Carrol Castille might have just found his new favorite track: central Iowa's Prairie Meadows. The Louisiana-based owner of Whispering Oaks Farm won last year's Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) with Iron Fist, and he was back in town the evening of July 5 to see his She's a Julie run off with a 5 1/2-length score in the Iowa Oaks (G3).

"It's a great place with a great atmosphere," Castille said of Prairie Meadows. "It's a lot of fun."

She's a Julie was bred by Godolphin and was a $160,000 purchase by Castille at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. By the late Elusive Quality out of Kydd Gloves, a filly from the only crop of Dubai Millennium, She's a Julie was consigned by Padraig Campion's Blandford Stud.

"She has a great pedigree, and (trainer) Steve (Asmussen) really loved her conformation, size, and style. And she was well within our budget," Castille said. "Steve has been high on her for quite some time. We broke her on the farm, and we knew she was going to be special. She was shin-bucking all of our other 2-year-olds."

She's a Julie packs a punch with her pedigree as well.

Kydd Gloves is out of Parade Queen, a multiple grade 3 winner who is the dam of grade 3 winner Untouched Talent, the dam of Bodemeister , who ran second in the 2012 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1). Bodemeister is the sire of 2017 Derby winner Always Dreaming.

The filly, who was displaying "heart and fight" while in training, was named for Julie Asmussen, the trainer's wife who has battled cancer. The Castilles and Asmussens have become close friends and have worked as partners in the business for more than a decade.

She's a Julie won at first asking in May 2017 at Churchill Downs, then finished seventh in the Debutante Stakes a month later.

"Steve thought she was growing really fast and was wanting more ground, so he decided to back off a bit," Castille said.

A pair of unplaced finishes this year in New Orleans in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) didn't get the team down. She cut back to optional-claiming allowance company for a pair of starts under the Twin Spires prior to the Iowa Oaks.

"She's a big filly, and now she's right on target," Castille said.

While Castille is unsure of She's a Julie's next start, she'll likely head to Asmussen's base at Saratoga Race Course. Also in Saratoga is Whispering Oaks' Sir Truebadour, a More Than Ready  2-year-old colt who won the June 30 Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) in Louisville.

Sir Truebadour, a full brother to grade 1-winning Regally Ready, was a $300,000 purchase. Castille is "dreaming now that he'll step in distance for the big races down the road."