Midlantic-breds in Kentucky Oaks day stakes * The Racing Biz

MIDLANTIC-BREDS IN KENTUCKY OAKS DAY STAKES

*Fiya won the 2020 Maryland Million Turf Sprint. Photo by Allison Janezic.*

The Biz
April 30, 2021

A handful of horses bred in the Mid-Atlantic will tackle graded stakes at Churchill Downs this afternoon on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. While none of the runners is the morning line favorite, all are legitimate contenders in their spots.

The list includes two Virginia-breds – who’ll run against each other – and two Maryland-breds.

Parx: Morning Matcha, Far Mo Power rally to stakes wins
In Pennsylvania-bred stakes at Parx Racing Monday, Morning Matcha and Far Mo Power both rallied from well off the pace to kick off their seasons in style.

A pair of Virginia-breds face off the Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba Stakes, a a 1 1/16-mile test for older runners on the main track. The Dallas Stewart-trained Chess Chief is 5-1 on the morning line one race after rallying to win the G2 New Orleans Classic by a head in a race in which the top four all were within a length. It was the five-year-old Into Mischief horse’s first graded win and second score in three starts. Chess Chief, bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, is ranked second in the most recent Top Midlantic-bred Poll… Dale Romans will send out Attachment Rate (8-1), who was third last out over the strip in the G3 Commonwealth. The son of Hard Spun was bred by Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin… Grade 1 winner Maxfield is the 4-5 favorite.

Maryland-bred Postnup is 6-1 on the morning line in the Grade 2, $300,000 Edgewood for three-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. The Declaration of War filly was bred by Greenspring Mares LLC, has won two straight, and will make her first foray into stakes company here with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for trainer Cherie DeVaux. Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl is the 4-5 morning line favorite…

Maryland-bred Fiya, undefeated in five tries on the turf, will take his biggest swing yet in the Grade 2, $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint. He’s 4-1 on the morning line. The Tom Albertrani trainee won last fall’s Maryland Million Turf Sprint and Claiming Crown Canterbury Stakes and will try open stakes company for the first time here in his first start since December 5, 2020. Luis Saez will ride Fiya, who was bred by Ann Merryman. Fast Boat is the 7-2 morning line pick.