Calhoun looks to have strong pair for Fair Grounds Oaks

When the calendar flipped to 2018, the 3-year-old filly Classy Act had a maiden win on turf from four career starts. Two months later and she’s among the early favorites for the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 24.

Classy Act finished second by a neck and second by a nose in her first two races as a 2-year-old, then ran far below form in her third race and was given a break by trainer Bret Calhoun. She returned to action Dec. 21 in a Fair Grounds turf maiden, and, wearing blinkers for the first time, won by four lengths. Then came a highly rated first-level allowance win around two turns on dirt, and a fine second-place finish behind Monomy Girl on Feb. 17 in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes. With Monomoy Girl targeting the Ashland Stakes in April at Keeneland, and with a general paucity of elite talent in the division right now, Classy Act should be a prime player in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

“I definitely like my position,” Calhoun said. “My filly doesn’t have to take her show on the road or go anywhere at all.”

Calhoun also has Patrona Margarita pointed to the Fair Grounds Oaks. Patrona Margarita, a Texas-bred of relatively humble origins, won the Pocahontas Stakes on Sept. 16 at Churchill and was a creditable fourth, getting a 79 Beyer Speed Figure, making her first start since that race in the Rachel Alexandra.

“I thought she ran a really good race coming back from a long layoff and galloped out really well,” said Calhoun. “I look for her to improve a lot.”

Classy Act, an Into Mischief filly owned by Carl Moore, got an 87 Beyer in the Rachel Alexandra, and while she was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Monomoy Girl, Calhoun thinks the margin could have been closer under different circumstances. Classy Act broke a beat slowly, and when her rider asked her to get a forward position the filly became aggressive. Her connections have been working to get her to relax during her races.

“I think if she breaks right we’re a lot closer,” Calhoun said. “The good thing about her, you don’t seem to get to the bottom of her. Three hard races in a row, she bounced out of them really well. I hope she’ll continue to develop mentally and learn to turn off better and better. That’ll help her stretch her speed.”

Calhoun trainee Finley’sluckycharm emerged from her 2018 debut, a second-place finish in the Feb. 13 Mardi Gras Stakes, in good condition, worked back Feb. 25 at Fair Grounds, and remains on target to make her next start in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes in April at Keeneland. “Right now, everything is going the way I hoped it would go,” Calhoun said.