'TDN Rising Star' Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) put forth a stellar 2-year-old campaign, capped by a comfortable win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 4, and looks to regain his top form after kicking off his sophomore year with a disappointing fifth-place finish as the 7-10 favorite in Keeneland's GIII Transylvania S. Apr. 7. The ridgling was dull leaving the gate in Lexington and was unable to secure his usual position setting/pressing the early pace. He adds Lasix today for trainer Brian Lynch and figures to be forwardly placed from the outset.
If Oscar Performance is aggressively ridden from the bell, he will have to contend with company on the front end from Rockingham Ranch and Chad Littlefield's Conquest Farenheit (Scat Daddy), a $735,000 Keeneland November purchase from the Conquest Stables dispersal. The speedy colt has won two stakes over the Santa Anita turf since that sale, including the one-mile Pasadena S. Mar. 19. Trainer Peter Miller and Rockingham Ranch paired to capture the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. on this card in 2015 with Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}).
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) closed strongly to take down Woodbine's GII Summer S. last September prior to encountering a troubled trip in the wake of Oscar Performance at the World Championships.
A number of also-rans from the Juvenile Turf are also back to renew acquaintances with the winner. Fifth-finishing Big Score (Mr. Big) exacted some revenge on Oscar Performance when he rallied past Holiday Stone (Harlan's Holiday) to win the Transylvania, while sixth-finishing Made You Look (More Than Ready) added the second graded stakes win of his career with a triumph in the GIII Dania Beach S. at Gulfstream Jan. 7.
'TDN Rising Star' Parlor (Lonhro {Aus}) looms as an intriguing longshot getting back to his preferred surface. The Eddie Kenneally trainee has flashed significant ability in his three starts on grass and could be primed to take a step forward after pressing a fast pace before leveling off to finish eighth over Turfway's synthetic track in the GIII Spiral S. Mar. 25.
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