By Christie DeBernardis
J A G Racing and Jettany Thoroughbred Corp's Lucy N Ethel (During) looks to take her perfect record to five-for-five in a competitive renewal of Keeneland's GII Lexus Raven Run S. Saturday. Kicking off her career under the care of trainer Ramon Preciado, the dark bay captured her state-bred debut at Parx last November and followed suit with wins in a Dec. 8 allowance in Bensalem and Gulfstream's GIII Old Hat S. Jan. 2. She was benched for the next eight months and, with Preciado suspended, she resurfaced at Saratoga under the name of his assistant Chloe Bradley's, winning the GII Prioress S. Sept. 4. Bradley was subsequently suspended and she makes her Keeneland debut for new trainer Tom Amoss.
The speedy Lightstream (Harlan's Holiday), a good-looking first out winner over Kareena (Medaglia d'Oro), who came back to earn “TDN Rising Star” status for an impressive maiden breaker in her next start, won the track-and-trip GIII Beaumont S. next out Apr. 17. Taking to the turf just fine with a win in Belmont's grassy Soaring Softly S., the Brian Lynch pupil suffered her first loss when a game third in the GI Mother Goose S. July 2 and was a close second last time in Saratoga's GI Test S. Aug. 6.
Fox Hill Farm's Southern Girl (Tapit) is a perfect four-for-four sprinting, with her only loss coming when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in an allowance here last fall. The “TDN Rising Star” kicked off her sophomore campaign with a decisive allowance score at Laurel July 24 and won a Delaware allowance next out Aug. 17. The $775,000 KEESEP buy, who is a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno), bested her elders last time in Laurel's seven-panel Shine Again S. Sept. 10.
Another runner of intrigue is West Coast invader Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), conditioned by Phil D'Amato for Little Red Feather Racing. Winner of Santa Anita's Angel Flight S. May 15, the chestnut checked in second to undefeated champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Summertime Oaks June 18 and filled that same spot in the GIII Torrey Pines S. last out Aug. 28.
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