Taraz heads Martha Washington; Tonalist’s Shape the one to beat in Forward Gal

Jan 30, 2020 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Taraz has her connections thinking about the Kentucky Derby, but she will first tackle a Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifier in Saturday’s $150,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park. A dominant winner of her first two starts, the exciting daughter of Into Mischief will be a heavy favorite against four fillies.

As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, the one-mile Martha Washington will offer points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers.

Taraz will make her first appearance at two turns. A 7 1/2-length debut scorer in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden test at Churchill Downs in mid-November, the Juddmonte Farms homebred exits an 11-length tally at 6-furlongs in the Dec. 21 Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds. Florent Geroux rides, and the March 14 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park, which will offer 50 points to the winner for the Kentucky Derby, has been mentioned as a possibility if Taraz carries her form forward in the Martha Washington.

“Everything has to line up, everything has to go right,” trainer Brad Cox told the Fair Grounds press office in mid-January. “The way she trains, she gives you that amount of confidence to think about things like that, bottom line. It’s one step at a time, obviously. The Martha Washington and then go from there.”

Cox will also send out Shedaresthedevil, who makes her first start for the new barn after finishing second in the 6-furlong Anoakia on Santa Anita’s main track in mid-October. Two starts back, the daughter of Daredevil was fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Princesinha Julia brings a three-race win streak to the race for Steve Asmussen, most recently taking the Trapeze at Remington Park in mid-December. Last-out maiden winner O Seraphina and Delta Downs stakes scorer High on Gin complete the field.

At Gulfstream Park, Tonalist’s Shape tops a field of six Kentucky Oaks hopefuls in Saturday’s $150,000 Forward Gal (G2). The chestnut daughter of Tonalist brings a 3-for-3 record to the 7-furlong test, winning the Nov. 30 Hut Hut at Gulfstream by nine lengths in her last outing, and she will try to pick up the 10-point winner’s prize in the Oaks qualifier. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides for trainer Joseph Saffie Jr.

Other runners include last-out maiden winners New Day Dawning and Street of Dreams; and Compensate, who has won two straight over maiden and allowance foes.