All eyes on Shedaresthedevil in Spinster Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the crowd still buzzing about her champion stablemate Monomoy Girl’s latest Grade 1 victory an hour prior, Shedaresthedevil walked into the starting gate for the Kentucky Oaks dismissed at 15-1 behind the dazzling Gamine and the rock-solid Swiss Skydiver. She turned back both of those foes in the lane for a 1 1/2-length victory in the filly classic.

Four weeks later, the top names in the filly and mare division have scattered. Monomoy Girl is awaiting the Breeders’ Cup Distaff; reigning divisional champion Midnight Bisou was recently retired with an injury; Swiss Skydiver is in Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes; and Gamine is back home in California eyeing shorter races.

And so, Shedaresthedevil has the spotlight to herself, and figures to be a much shorter price, as she faces elders for the first time in the Grade 1, $400,000 Spinster Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland.

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The Spinster, which awards the winner a berth into the Distaff on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, is one of three stakes on the Sunday card, which closes the opening FallStars weekend of the Keeneland fall meet. The others are the Grade 2, $200,000 Bourbon Stakes and $150,000 Indian Summer Stakes, both for 2-year-olds on turf. Those races offer berths into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Turf Sprint, respectively, on Nov. 6. After brisk and clear fall weather in Lexington on Friday and Saturday, a 40 percent chance of rain is forecast for Sunday.

Shedaresthedevil delivered a stellar performance in the Oaks, running the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in a stakes-record 1:48.28 and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 101. It was the third graded stakes win of the year for the filly, who won the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn early in the season and the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks on July 8, nearly two months prior to the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks. She signaled she was ready for a big effort in the Kentucky Oaks by holding her own breezing in company with Monomoy Girl.

“It worked out well,” trainer Brad Cox said of pairing his stars. “Monomoy Girl was maybe a touch better in the lane in the work, but we’ve not really ever had one that can keep up with her in the mornings.”

Shedaresthedevil has worked twice at Churchill Downs since winning the Oaks, breezing a half in 49 seconds on Sept. 19 and five furlongs in 1:00.80 last Saturday. The filly drew post 3 under Florent Geroux, who has been aboard her for three straight wins.

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Shedaresthedevil’s foes are led by California-based shipper Ollie’s Candy, winner of the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch in 2019 at Del Mar. Ollie’s Candy has been on the board in all four starts this season while racing exclusively in Grade 1 company. She was third in the Beholder Mile at Santa Anita, second by a head in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, third by a neck in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont, and, most recently, second by a neck in her Hirsch defense with a 100 Beyer.

“She’s coming off a series of really good races where she’s run outstanding, just hasn’t got the ‘W,’” trainer John Sadler said. “We feel the Santa Anita main track is maybe not her preferred surface, so that’s why we’re going to Keeneland.”

Ollie’s Candy, with Joel Rosario in the irons, is drawn immediately to the inside of Shedaresthedevil and Geroux, in post 2. Both runners have similar stalking styles, and have demonstrated the ability to control the tempo if the situation warrants.

Likely to join those two on the front end is Lady Kate, who would have to clear the field from post 6 under Tyler Gaffalione. Lady Kate, trained by Eddie Kenneally, wired the field to take the Groupie Doll in August at Ellis Park, then was second to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 La Troienne on Oaks Day, beaten 1 3/4 lengths after setting the pace.

Valiance, 5 for 7 lifetime, comes off a win in the off-the-turf Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth. Our Super Freak, most recently third in the Grade 3 Shuvee, and Saracosa, fourth in the La Troienne, complete the field.