By Brian DiDonato
GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Abel Tasman (Quality Road) takes on a legitimate group of seven challengers in Saturday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. Second on the trainer change to Bob Baffert in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 8, the bay was dismissed at 9-1 on the first Saturday in May and rallied over the top from a mile out of it to score in the slop. GII Gulfstream Park Oaks heroine Salty (Quality Road) was fifth that day and likely would've finished better if she hadn't been cut off in upper stretch, while GII Forward Gal S. heroine Tequilita (Union Rags) checked in seventh.
“We knew she should run well, but the way the track was playing that day we were up against it,” three-time Acorn-winning trainer Bob Baffert told the NYRA press office in reference to Abel Tasman's Oaks victory. “We were outside and checked into the first turn and then she was last, so I thought we completely had no chance at all, then she came around and won. The fast pace was in our favor. Our post and the way she went into the first turn wasn't in our favor. She's such a quality filly. I think she's improving; she's better now than she was then. She'll have to show a little bit more speed. I don't know how she's going to do going the one-turn mile, but sometimes a good horse can overcome it.”
Competing earlier on the card were Benner Island (Speightstown) and Union Strike (Union Rags), one-two respectively with a head between them in the GII Eight Belles S. The former took a surprising amount of tote action down to 34-10 favoritism and attended the pace inside. She was cutting back off a sixth-place run in the GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Apr. 14. Union Strike, last September's GI Del Mar Debutante winner, returned to winning ways in Santa Anita's Santa Paula S. Apr. 9 and shifted out and flew home late to find herself on the wrong side of the Eight Belles bob.
Speedy 'TDN Rising Star' Florida Fabulous (High Cotton) has a live look at a big price. Unable to make the lead after being squeezed out at the start, she seemed to struggle over the wet going in the Eight Belles and faded to 10th. Her connections show confidence by bringing her back in this tough spot, and she could just take them all the way.
Sweet Loretta (Tapit) annexed last July's GIII Schuylerville S. and dead-heated in the GI Spinaway S., but was 11th after a rough trip in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5. She bounced back with a comfy score in the GIII Adena Springs Beaumont S. at Keeneland Apr. 9.
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