Central Avenue comes into Golden Rod after chasing division leader

Central Avenue gets a chance to go two turns for the first time Saturday at Churchill Downs, which is located on Central Avenue in Louisville. She, and the other seven fillies in the field for the Grade 2, $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes, are already dreaming of a return to Central Avenue on the first Friday in May.

The Golden Rod offers its top finishers points toward next May’s Kentucky Oaks on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale. The last Golden Rod winner to come back and win the Oaks was Rachel Alexandra, who concluded her 2008 juvenile campaign by winning this race. In its last 17 editions, the Golden Rod also has been won by future Grade 1 winners Lady Joanne (2006), Pure Clan (2007), Sassy Image (2009), On Fire Baby (2011), and Carina Mia (2015).

Central Avenue, a Godolphin homebred trained by Mike Stidham, won her debut going seven furlongs Aug. 31 at Colonial Downs. The runner-up, Perfectly Wicked, came back to win her next start at Laurel Park and then finished third of eight in the Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct.

:: DRF's Black Friday Sale: Get 20% off (almost) everything in the DRF Shop. Code: BF2023

On Oct. 7, Central Avenue went a one-turn mile in the Grade 1 Frizette at Aqueduct. She closed into a moderate pace to finish second by 3 3/4 lengths to Just F Y I on a sloppy, sealed track. Just F Y I remained unbeaten by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Life Talk, third in the Frizette, was fourth of 12 in the Juvenile Fillies.

The Golden Rod is 1 1/16 miles around two turns, and Stidham is looking forward to testing his filly.

“She’s bred to go as far as they write races,” Stidham told New York publicity last month.

Central Avenue is by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, sire of two-turn Grade 1 winners Maxfield and McKinzie. Central Avenue is out of the A.P. Indy mare Centring, who was multiple Grade 1-placed at 1 1/8 miles. Centring is out of Santa Anita Oaks winner Composure, dam of Penwith, a graded winner at 1 1/16 miles, and Tranquil Manner, third in the Grade 1 Woodward.

West Sunset has already gone two turns, and relished it. After rallying for a six-furlong debut win at Churchill, she got loose on the lead and drew off as she pleased for a 6 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Rags to Riches on Oct. 29 at Churchill. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83, among the best in this field. Her Brad Cox-trained stablemate Gin Gin, who also is in the Golden Rod, was a clear second over favored V V’s Dream.

“It was a good effort from both fillies,” Cox said that day. West Sunset “was a little anxious in the paddock but hopefully that will get better the more mature she gets. . . . Hopefully with some more seasoning this is a filly we can dream about running in the Kentucky Oaks.”

West Sunset’s versatility could serve her well in the Golden Rod, which has plenty of speed.

:: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets.

Thorpedo Anna holds the top Beyer in this field. She remained unbeaten in two starts by winning an allowance/optional-claiming race at Churchill by nine lengths on Nov. 10, earning an 85 in the one-turn mile. She is a daughter of the good sprinter Fast Anna and is from the extended family of Wood Memorial winner Eskendereya.

The field is completed by Intricate, coming off a maiden win going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland for Brendan Walsh; Purloin, a debut winner at Aqueduct for Cherie DeVaux; Here’s the Spider, stepping up in class off a win in the Best of Ohio John Galbreath Memorial; and Dozen Diamonds, coming off an allowance win on the Keeneland turf.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.