By Christie DeBernardis
Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy) has been having a stellar season at Oaklawn and she will try to capitalize on that Friday as she faces a full field of fillies seeking a spot in the GI Kentucky Oaks in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. Wiring the field in her seasonal bow in Hot Springs and third lifetime start Jan. 25, she followed suit with a local optional claimer score Feb. 17. Favored in the
GIII Honeybee S. here Mar. 9, the bay was run down late and forced to settle for second. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will be in town to ride the filly.
“If they go slow, she'll be on the front end,” trainer Tom Van Berg told the Oaklawn notes team. “If they go fast, we've got her to rate nicely in the mornings. She's very versatile. She doesn't have to be in front. A lot of people think she needs to be in front. We're happy to sit off it. We're happy to go. We'll find out what they do.”
'TDN Rising Star' Brill (Medaglia d'Oro) followed her debut victory at Del Mar in July with a fourth behind likely Oaks favorite Bellafina (Quality Road) in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. Sept. 1. Third behind that rival in the GI Chandelier S. at Santa Anita Sept. 29, the $1 million FTKJUL topper made her sophomore bow in a six-panel test in Hot Springs Mar. 22, finishing a solid second behind fellow 'Rising Star' Lyrical Lady (More Than Ready).
Lady Apple (Curlin) enters off a pair of local wins for Steve Asmussen. Breaking her maiden in a sloppy sprint here at fifth asking Feb. 7, she defeated Irish Mischief (Into Mischief) by two lengths in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer over this strip Mar. 23.
Todd Pletcher saddles a filly worth a look in Orra Moor (Orb). Graduating at first asking at Gulfstream Dec. 22, the dark bay romped by 7 3/4 lengths in a six-panel optional claimer there Feb. 10 and was third last time in Aqueduct's one-mile Busher S. Mar. 9. Busher runner-up and GIII Tempted S. upsetter Oxy Lady (Oxbow) also returns in this test.
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