Eight Belles Win Could Be Consolation For 'Carina'

While the connections of Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) would have preferred to have her contest the GI Kentucky Oaks later in the day Friday had she made it into the field, the 'TDN Rising Star' will instead cut back to seven furlongs for the GII Eight Belles S. Second to Stageplay (Curlin) after setting the pace in their respective debuts going 6 1/2 panels at Keeneland Oct. 10, she returned 19 days later to trounce rivals over that same track and trip by 9 3/4 lengths, good for a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. The $410,000 KEESEP yearling found herself again matched up with Stageplay in this venue's GII Golden Rod S. over a sloppy 1 1/16 miles Nov. 28, but this time proved clearly best, pulling clear of her chief rival by 4 1/2 lengths at the line. The Bill Mott trainee returned in a super-tough renewal of Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 9, and showed the way early until settling for fourth behind Oaks entrants Weep No More (Mineshaft), Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini) and Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss).

Stageplay also shortens up after a pair of disappointing tries on the Oaks trail. A clear-cut winner of the one-turn-mile Rags to Riches S. here before the Golden Rod, the Steve Asmussen pupil bounced back to winning ways in the Silverbulletday S. at Fair Grounds Jan. 16. Fifth at 3-5 after a very wide trip over an inside-favoring strip in the Feb. 20 GII Rachel Alexandra S. back in New Orleans, she could do no better than a distant sixth in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 26. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Asmussen also sends out LNJ Foxwoods's Nickname (Scat Daddy). The dark bay annexed last October's GI Frizette S. in the Belmont slop before finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies later that month. She has been second in all three of her tries this year–to Marquee Miss (Cowboy Cal) in Oaklawn's Dixie Belle S. Jan. 15; to stablemate and Oaks contender Terra Promessa (Curlin) in Oaklawn's GIII Honeybee S. Mar. 12; and in Keeneland's GIII Adena Springs Beaumont S. at a similar distance to this one Apr. 17.