Farsighted holds slight edge in competitive Beaumont Stakes

The Grade 3, $150,000 Beaumont Stakes on Friday at Keeneland awards its winner 10 points toward the Kentucky Oaks field. The seven-furlong race, however, is unlikely to produce an Oaks starter.

Only three of the seven entrants are current nominees to the filly classic, and of those, only Lady Traveler owns points, with 4. The current cutoff horse on the leaderboard toward the 14-horse Oaks field is 20 points, and four major preps will be contested Saturday, likely pushing that cutoff up.

Instead, the Beaumont is an early season showcase for 3-year-old filly sprinters, with spring races such as the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs, Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico, and Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont – all corresponding to Triple Crown race weekends – on the horizon. The Beaumont has drawn a competitive cast, including last-out stakes winner Farsighted; My Girl Red, a graded stakes winner coming off an excuse and a long layoff; and sharp maiden winners Slumber Party and Twenty Carat, the latter trying dirt for the first time.

Farsighted showed a liking for Keeneland last fall, winning her maiden and then finishing second in the Songbird on Breeders’ Cup weekend to next-out winner Joy’s Rocket. She then led through the opening half in the Grade 2 Golden Rod before finishing ninth in the 1 1/16-mile contest.

:: Bet horse racing on DRF Bets. Double Your First Deposit Up to $250. Join Now.

Following a winter freshening, she returned to action March 6 in the six-furlong Any Limit at Gulfstream Park, stalking the pace before pouncing and drawing clear for a 4 1/4-length victory. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78 on the sloppy track, one of the best in this field.

“Her first three sprints were great,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “I tried her long, and it didn’t work. We gave her a little time, and she came back very good.”

My Girl Red won her first two starts in California, including the Grade 2 Sorrento. She was badly hampered at the start of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 6 when eventual winner Princess Noor veered into her. She was pulled up a furlong in and walked off. She was later discovered to have an ankle injury, which did not require surgery.

James Graham gets aboard My Girl Red, who drew the rail for her return. She won her first two starts in front-running fashion and will likely have company on the front end from Slumber Party, who has post 2 and Joel Rosario.

Slumber Party was a smashing debut winner going seven furlongs Jan. 24 at Gulfstream for Kelly Breen. She drew off to win by 7 1/2 lengths, earning an 86 Beyer, the top figure in this field. Ideally drawn next to those two is Farsighted, who could lay just off the lead from post 3. Julien Leparoux, aboard Farsighted for all her starts as a juvenile, regains the mount after Jose Ortiz rode her in the Any Limit.

The other potential pace factor is Twenty Carat, who will have to work out a trip after drawing outside for Wesley Ward and Luis Saez. The filly has run twice on Tapeta at Turfway, crossing the wire first in both. She was disqualified from her debut and Wait for Nairobi, who returned to win the Cincinnati Trophy, was put up. Twenty Carat subsequently rolled by 7 3/4 lengths in her second outing, earning a 78 Beyer.

Lady Traveler was a closing second in the Grade 3 Forward Gal last out and would likely appreciate a pace battle developing in front of her. Cilla, third in the Grade 1 Frizette last year, and Amalfi Princess complete the field.