Alcibiades, Frizette, Chandelier make for big weekend on Kentucky Oaks trail

First up is Friday’s Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland, where Pocahontas (G3) romper V V’s Dream gets a rematch with unbeaten Spinaway (G1) winner Brightwork. The two originally met in the Debutante S. at Ellis Park. V V’s Dream was heavily favored to follow up on her sensational Churchill Downs debut, but Brightwork held her off to post a mild upset. 

The John Ortiz-trained Brightwork has since gone on to stardom at Saratoga, winning both the Adirondack (G3) and Spinaway. V V’s Dream herself moved forward in the Pocahontas, the first scoring event on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, with a dominant 8 3/4-length victory back at Churchill.

Both are stretching out to two turns for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades, the same distance as Saturday’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for Derby aspirants. But V V’s Dream relished the step up to a mile in the one-turn Pocahontas, suggesting that the Ken McPeek pupil will handle the added ground here.

The only Alcibiades runner with two-turn experience is Wine on Tap, runner-up in the Sorority S. at Monmouth Park. Her trainer, Todd Pletcher, also sends out Saratoga debut winner Candied. Other contenders include Spinaway fourth Alys Beach; Brad Cox’s Alpine Princess, who broke her maiden second time out at the Spa; Shimmering Allure, a stablemate of V V’s Dream who won going around Churchill’s one-turn mile; and maiden Crazy Cami.

Cox also entered Emery at Keeneland, but Daily Racing Form reports that she’s bound for Saturday’s Frizette (G1) at Aqueduct.

Like the Champagne (G1) later on the Saturday card, the Frizette is a one-mile test. Pletcher’s Life Talk comes off a smashing, 6 1/2-length maiden win at Saratoga at this trip. The Gun Runner filly previously just missed to the aforementioned Alys Beach, and she took a leap forward over the extra distance.

Just F Y I impressed in a different way in her Spa debut for Bill Mott. The daughter of Triple Crown hero Justify rallied in time at a six-furlong trip shorter than she’d probably like. Emery likewise won first up at six furlongs, drawing off by 5 3/4 lengths in the Saratoga mud.

Godolphin’s Central Avenue went last-to-first in her premiere at Colonial Downs, while the speedy Irish Maxima is 2-for-2 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Princess Indy, fifth in the Adirondack, returned to her Monmouth Park base and captured the Sorority S. 

Out west at Santa Anita, the Chandelier (G2) has an open look since local leader Tamara, a daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder, is awaiting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). It’s a similar story with the American Pharoah (G1) over the same track and 1 1/16-mile trip later on the card, as top colt Prince of Monaco is training up to the Breeders’ Cup. 

Several who were no match for Tamara in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) hope to take advantage of her absence on Saturday. Laurent, best of the rest in the Del Mar Debutante, adds blinkers on the stretch-out. Renewing rivalry are Debutante third Gate to Paradise, fourth Chatalas, late-running fifth Next Right Thing, and sixth Motet.

Autumn Chill is the lone runner proven around two turns, having captured a one-mile maiden at Del Mar for Keith Desormeaux. Pletcher ships the maiden Scalable, who was fifth in her lone start at Saratoga to Alcibiades contender Alpine Princess. Doug O’Neill stablemates Pacific Rose and Pink Whitney are also maidens, but Pink Whitney has routing experience from her turf attempts. Dua, last seen finishing a distant third in the Sorrento (G3), is ineligible for Oaks points because trainer Bob Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc.

In addition to Oaks points, the Alcibiades, Frizette, and Chandelier serve as “Win and You’re In” events for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.