Jones Seeks Fourth FG Oaks Win

Trainer Larry Jones has already won the GII TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks three times–twice with future GI Kentucky Oaks winners in Proud Spell (2008) and Believe You Can (2012) and once with an Eclipse finalist in I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) (2015)–and he looks to take home his fourth renewal Saturday with Midnight On Oconee (Midnight Lute). While I'm a Chatterbox was the queen of the Fair Grounds last year, winning the Silverbulletday S. and GII Rachel Alexandra S. prior to a score in this test, Midnight On Oconee seems to take after fellow Jones trainee Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection), who emerged from her stablemate's shadow to capture the Kentucky Oaks last May. Just like Lovely Maria, the Cottonwood Stables runner finished fourth in Remington's Trapeze S. last December and was second to late-running 74-1 shot Venus Valentine (Congrats) in the Rachel Alexandra Feb. 20, with a runner-up effort behind the reopposing Stageplay (Curlin) in between in the Silverbulletday Jan. 16. The dark bay chased a hot pace early in the Rachel Alexandra and appeared home free in the lane, only to be beat out in the final sixteenth by the rail-skimming longshot.

Steve Asmussen, who also boasts three prior wins in this event including the 2014 renewal won by champion Untapable (Tapit), saddles a pair of strong contenders here in Stageplay and Adore (Big Brown). Owned by Mike Rutherford, the former captured the Rags to Riches S. last term and was second to “TDN Rising Star” Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28. Kicking off this season with a win in the Silverbulletday, the gray finished off the board for the first time in her career when fifth as the favorite in the Rachel Alexandra.

“I'm going to try and draw a line through the Rachel Alexandra,” Asmussen said. “I waited until I trained her back to see if we would run her [in the FG Oaks]. We worked her a couple of times and I think that maybe that was just a bad day for her. I feel like we're back on track with her and [jockey] Florent [Geroux] is confident in her.”

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Adore takes a step up into stakes company off two decisive victories at Oaklawn. Fourth behind the highly regarded Smart Shopping (Smart Strike) on debut sprinting in the Churchill slop last November, the chestnut earned her diploma next out going a mile in Hot Springs Jan. 16 and followed up with a four-length optional claimer victory going this 1 1/16-mile distance there Feb. 21.

“Timing of the Fair Grounds Oaks works very well for her,” Asmussen explained. “I like the spacing. She's a filly who has progressed significantly in her three-race career and obviously it's a tough spot for her, but I think she will run well.”

Reddam Racing's Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road) may finally get her turn in the spotlight as she attempts to step out of the shadow of undefeated champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) here. Finishing behind that rival in every race since breaking her maiden last summer, the Doug O'Neill pupil hit the board in both the GI Del Mar Debutante S. and GI Chandelier S. last September before checking in seventh to the “TDN Rising Star” in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31. The chestnut was the only one coming after the Eclipse winner when second in both the GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6 and the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 5.

Fellow California-based runner Street Fancy (Street Sense) also looks to avoid the sensational Songbird and gain some Oaks points here. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the Agave Racing Stable colorbearer came running late to spring a 6-1 upset in the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 12 and was a non-factor sixth last time in the Las Virgenes.

Rounding out the field are an intriguing pair of longshots in Stoneway Farm's Dream Dance (Afleet Alex) and Charles Fipke homebred Northwest Tale (Tale of Ekati). Second in the Rags to Riches last term, the Neil Howard-trained Dream Dance has not been seen since finishing third in the Golden Rod and could prove to be any kind coming off that extended layoff. Northwest Tale, a maternal granddaughter of GI Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors, was fifth in the Silverbulletday, but may be better suited to sprinting as she showed her appreciation for the cutback to six furlongs last time with an impressive two-length victory in a local optional claimer Feb. 8.