The 3-year-old fillies have held the Friday spotlight at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks and Pimlico for the Black-Eyed Susan in recent weeks. The Triple Crown concludes at Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes, but not before the sophomore gals shine in Friday’s Acorn.
Let’s meet the contenders for the Grade 1 Acorn (Race 12), which extends its distance to 1-1/8 miles for the first time:
#1-BECKY’S JOKER: Least-experienced member of the field makes just her third start and first since Saratoga’s 2023 summer meeting. Practical Joke filly won her debut, but finished far back in the Adirondack Stakes. Trainer Gary Contessa also has her cross-entered Thursday at Saratoga in the Jersey Girl Stakes.
#2-POWER SQUEEZE: Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks winner suffered a wide trip from post 11 in the Kentucky Oaks when finishing sixth of 14. Louisville loss snapped a 3-race winning streak, which also included Tampa Bay Downs’ Suncoast Stakes. She’s a daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags.
#3-LESLIE’S ROSE: Keeneland’s Grade 1 Ashland upsetter was unable to overcome a wide trip in the Kentucky Oaks from post 13 of 14. Tired badly in the Oaks when beating only 1 runner in her only attempt over a wet track. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard this Todd Pletcher-trained Into Mischief filly in all 5 starts, winning 3. This jockey-trainer combo matches forces Saturday in the Belmont with Mindframe. Pletcher is a 3-time Acorn winner.
#4-JUST F Y I: Last year’s 2-Year-Old Filly Champion won her first 3 starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but has been second in both attempts so far this season. Chased home Acorn rivals Leslie’s Rose in the Ashland and Thorpedo Anna in the Kentucky Oaks. Daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify could give the sire a massive 6-day run after his City of Troy won the Epsom Derby last Saturday. Junior Alvarado rides for Bill Mott, the team for Resilience in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
#5-MY MANE SQUEEZE: Grade 2 Eight Belles winner at Churchill Downs will stretch out from 7 furlongs to 9 on Friday. New York-bred has won 4 of her last 5 and notably registered her second-start maiden victory over the Saratoga track last summer. Her only 2-turn race so far for trainer Mike Maker was an eighth-place run in Oaklawn’s Fantasy after she melted down pre-race. Jockey Luis Saez will partner with Dornoch in Saturday’s Belmont; Maker saddles The Wine Steward in that one.
#6-WHERE’S MY RING: Southern California-based filly has been on the road since the start of April, winning Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Gazelle prior to a 10th-place disappointment in the Kentucky Oaks. Brings modest 1-for-9 career ledger to the Acorn. Trainer Val Brinkerhoff turns to jockey Tyler Gaffalione – who rides Protective in Saturday’s Belmont – for the first time. Gaffalione won this race last year aboard Pretty Mischievous.
#7-REGULATORY RISK: Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks third-place finisher was beaten nearly 8 lengths in Louisville and seeks her first career stakes win. She also must make up more than 4 lengths on Where’s My Ring from their Grade 3 Gazelle 1-2 finish. Jose Ortiz rides this daughter of Omaha Beach for Chad Brown, who will saddle Belmont Stakes morning line favorite Sierra Leone in what could be a huge weekend. Brown won the Acorn in 2019 and 2021.
#8-GUN SONG: Pimlico’s Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan winner was convincing as the favorite in Baltimore and will get her first test against the top fillies in the division on Friday. Gun Runner filly was second to Acorn return rival Leslie’s Rose in January at Gulfstream and fourth behind Power Squeeze in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. Mark Hennig trains and regular rider John Velazquez, who pilots Antiquarian in Saturday’s Belmont, is back aboard. Johnny V’s 5 Acorn wins are tied with Eddie Arcaro and Mike Smith for most all-time.
#9-THORPEDO ANNA: Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks dominator has won 4 of 5 starts and boasts a field-best $1.4 million earnings ledger. She kicked off a remarkable 24 hours for trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez 5 weeks ago when they’d add the Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan. That one returns Saturday in the Belmont. All 4 of Thorpedo Anna’s wins have come by margins of 4 lengths or more. Four Acorn winners since 2017 have exited the Kentucky Oaks, including 3 who swept both (Pretty Mischievous did so a year ago).
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