Farrell holding form for Fair Grounds Oaks

After a modest if successful 3-year-old debut in the Silverbulletday Stakes in January, Farrell looked more like the filly who romped to victory last fall in the Grade 2 Golden Rod when she won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 25 by more than three lengths.

Farrell came out of the Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds in great shape and continued to suggest that she is a filly on the rise with a five-furlong work in 1:00 on Saturday. Her work was the fastest of 54 at the distance that morning.

“Farrell’s work was excellent,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “Nice and smooth, a medium five-eighths. It was fastest of 54, but she did it nice and easy.”

Farrell might not even have to improve to win the April 1 Fair Grounds Oaks, which is coming up a modest race, but she will need to continue on her upward trajectory if she’s to match up with the likes of Unique Bella in the Kentucky Oaks.

“She’s getting better, more mature all the time,” Catalano said. “So far, it’s all kind of worked out for us. I wasn’t going to run in [the Silverbulletday] at first, but the way the race was coming up, I did, and we got that comeback race out of the way. I mapped out a training schedule, and so far, it’s worked out.”