By Steve Sherack
Repole Stable's Zany (American Pharoah), the 4-1 favorite in the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, headlines a field of seven set for the GI Central Bank Ashland S. on Keeneland's opening day program Friday.
The unbeaten GII Demoiselle S. heroine kicked off her sophomore campaign for Todd Pletcher with a 2 3/4-length victory over subsequent GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks winner Life of Joy (Gun Runner) after racing greenly down the stretch in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Feb. 7.
“Zany is a special, special filly,” Repole said following the Suncoast. “This is her third public workout–that's the way I would put it.”
Pletcher added, “I think she's still learning. She's an extremely talented filly that's still doing most of it on natural talent, it seems.”
'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Percy's Bar (Upstart), disqualified from first and placed second for causing interference in last fall's GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland, will break one to the inside of the 4-5 program favorite in post two. She gets her 3-year-old season started following a troubled third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar Oct. 31. The Hat Creek Racing colorbearer has posted four straight bullet workouts at Ben Colebrook's Keeneland base for her return.
“She has been breezing spectacularly and doing it all on her own,” Colebrook said. “She stacked up pretty well with the 2-year-olds last year, and this will give us a chance to see where she stacks up at three. Going into a Grade I without a prep is a lot to ask, but I couldn't be happier with the way she is training.”
The field also includes the two-for-two French Friction (City of Light), who stretches out to two turns following a sharp win in Oaklawn's Dixie Belle S. in the slop going six furlongs; and Star Actress (Justify), a full-sister to champion Just F Y I and a last-out maiden winner going two turns at Gulfstream Mar. 15.
The Central Bank Ashland offers 200 qualifying points (100-50-25-15-10) toward the GI Kentucky Oaks.
The 10-race program also features the GII Middleground Capital Beaumont S.; GIII UK Healthcare Transylvania S.; and Lafayette S.
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