Cincinnati Trophy pits sprint stakes winners vs. proven route fillies
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At first glance, when only two of the entrants in a race are stakes winners, and both local stakes winners, they stand out.
But look closer, and both unbeaten Map of the Moon and fellow Turfway Park winner Coco Connect are coming off their respective stakes victories sprinting. Friday night’s $175,000 Cincinnati Trophy, a two-turn mile on the Tapeta for 3-year-old fillies, is a different question – and one several in this field have already answered.
Map of the Moon won her first two starts on turf, including the Stewart Manor in November at Aqueduct with an 80 Beyer Speed Figure, the top number in this field. She took the Gowell at six furlongs on Jan. 1 at Turfway, driving from fourth in the stretch to clear the field for a visually impressive win, albeit with a 63 Beyer. Map of the Moon drew post 10 in the field of 11 fillies and may have to be more involved early to avoid being hung very wide with a short run into the first turn. She will be saddled by Kelsey Danner, among the leading trainers this meet and who also has Lovely Grey entered here.
Coco Connect, who is likely to be forwardly placed from post 3, is wheeling back two weeks after a pace-pressing half-length win in the Valdale at 6 1/2 furlongs on Feb. 6 and is likely to have gained some fitness from that effort after she, and other Kentucky-based runners, missed training going into February due to a spate of freezing weather. Coco Connect, who earned a career-best 74 Beyer for that Turfway victory for trainer John Ennis, did win her maiden at seven furlongs on Keeneland’s dirt last fall. She was eighth in a try at 1 1/16 miles while facing stiff competition in the Grade 2 Golden Rod.
One of the challengers making her stakes debut who has already proven she can run longer is Dame Laura, the narrow 2-1 favorite on the morning line over Map of the Moon at 3-1. The Brendan Walsh trainee, who also will have to be alert from post 8, has posted both of her wins at a mile while never worse than third in four starts. She is coming off a dominant allowance victory Jan. 9 at Turfway in which she was never far off the leaders and drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths with a 76 Beyer, second best in this field to Map of the Moon.
Resplendence is stepping up in class and will need to improve her figures off a front-running six-length maiden victory going 1 1/16 miles Jan. 15 at Turfway. She will control the tempo early, with Coco Connect her most likely challenger.
“She’s going to have company. We have a couple of fillies that are coming from [sprint] races, especially John’s filly,” trainer Paulo Lobo said. “But my intention is to send her a little bit and see what happens in the first turn.”
If a strong pace develops. Lobo’s other entrant, Rip Current, stands to benefit. The filly has made both of her starts at a mile at Turfway. She won a key maiden-claiming race in December, then stepped up to allowance company on Jan. 22, turning in a deceptively good effort while fourth after being bumped early and encountering traffic late.
“She did not have a perfect trip,” Lobo said. “Turning for home, she had an opportunity to come inside but one filly kind of stopped in front of her. She lost a bit of momentum there.”
Rip Current was ultimately beaten only a length while improving her position late, posting a respectable 73 Beyer. The winner of that race, Resist, and third-place finisher Lovely Grey are back in here.
“I think she’s going up,” Lobo said. “She’s training very well.”
Belle of the Barn, a debut winner sprinting at Turfway; maiden-claiming winner Easter Promise; Emily’s Joy, a claiming winner who has yet to run two turns; and the maiden Wonzee Weather complete the field.
The Cincinnati Trophy is the first of Turfway’s two points races toward the Kentucky Oaks, for which early nominations closed Wednesday. Friday’s race awards points toward the 14-horse starting gate on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis. This is the local prep for the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks on Turfway’s marquee March 21 card, with points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.
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