What’s On Track: A Steady Stakes Weekend Brimming with Storylines

Going Out in Style

Aiming to end her sophomore season on a high note, Laurelin (IRE) steps up to 1 3/8 miles in the $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks (G3T), Saturday at Aqueduct.

Coming off the first defeat of her six-start career in October’s Queen Elizabeth II (G1T) – a 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies – the sophomore daughter of Zarak (FR)–Bari (IRE) finds herself in a stamina-testing position with the Jockey Club Oaks.

Hailing from a bloodline known for endurance, Laurelin is well-suited to stretch out for trainer Graham Motion, who should gain plenty of insights from his prized filly’s performance.

Laurelin, and her 5-1-0 line ($696,375), enters the three-turn turf tilt as the 8-5 choice.

Youth Movement

Of the seven fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s $300,000 Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs, five are at least four years old.

It is, however, a pair of 3-year-olds in Ragtime and Shred the Gnar who hold the early advantage over their elders on the morning line.

Ragtime opens as the 8-5 choice on the strength of an impressive debut season that has seen the chestnut daughter of Union Rags–Burmilla collect a 3-1-1 record from five starts, headlined by a Dogwood (G3) triumph on Sept. 20.

Her counterpart, Shred the Gnar, follows at 5-2 heading into her stakes debut, graded or otherwise. Oddsmakers are bullish on the Into Mischief bay’s chances due in part to consecutive tallies by a combined margin of 13 ½ lengths.

Shred the Gnar takes to post two, while Ragtime occupies post seven.

Give it a Whirl

As Breeders’ Cup winner Nobals’ pursues a second straight Kennedy Road (G2) crown on Saturday at Woodbine, speedy bay Western Whirl intends to play spoiler in the $175,000 affair.

Bred and owned by Chiefswood Stables Limited, Western Whirl has come into his own during his 4-year-old campaign, tracking down a pair of wins, along with a second and third through five starts.

Prior to this year, the Twirling Candy bay was victorious once from 11 starts (1-3-3).

Now on the upswing for trainer Stuart Simon, Western Whirl eyes his first stakes score from post two at 6-1 on the morning line.

Twice as Nice?

Himika outdueled rivals Revera and Stuffy Mist to claim the Anoakia Stakes last time out, and she will have to do it once more in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes, Sunday at Del Mar.

Less than one month after besting her fellow freshman fillies, who finished second (Revera) and third (Stuffy Mist) to her in the six-furlong Anoakia, Himika will extend to seven furlongs in the Desi Arnaz with the same goal in mind.

The bay, bred by Klaravich Stables Inc., and owned by Baoma Corp, has the added benefit of teaming with rider Juan Hernandez, who has guided Himika to all three of her victories, including the Grade 3 Sorrento on Aug. 10.

The trio will be spread out with Revera in post one, Himika in post four, and Stuffy Mist in post six.

Diverse Portfolio

After a volatile start to her career, Fast Market is trending in the right direction ahead of the $175,000 Pebbles (G3T), Sunday at Aqueduct.

It took the bay out of Street Cry (IRE) mare Betty Draper until her ninth start to reach the winner’s circle, ending an uneven stretch of finishes in and outside the money.

Fast Market’s breakthrough triumph came on Sept. 21 in a maiden special weight dash, also at Aqueduct.

The John Terranova II trainee parlayed that 2 ¼-length victory into an admirable runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Sands Point (G2T) on Oct. 18, landing a neck behind even-money choice Ready for Candy.

With her maiden stakes score in sight, Fast Market takes to post five with rider Dylan Davis.

Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine