Feedback opts for easier spot in Beaumont Stakes

One of the main questions regarding Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland has been whether the unbeaten Feedback will start, and the feedback from trainer Chad Brown is that she will. But the race is far from a one-horse show.

Feedback will line up against four other stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1-placed Mother Mother, who is in from California. She also will face Queen of Beas, who is stepping up to stakes company off a win in an optional claimer.

The Beaumont presents one of the final chances to earn qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks, but with only 17 points awarded to the top finishers on a 10-4-2-1 scale, it probably will not have an impact on the field. Entering the weekend, during which three preps offer points on a 100-40-20-10 scale, the cutoff for the 14-horse starting gate is the 22 points earned by Restless Rider. The only fillies in the Beaumont field with points are Power Gal, ranked 23rd with 10 points, and Mother Mother, ranked 30th with seven points.

Feedback was cross-entered in the Beaumont and the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland. The Ashland is one of the major preps toward the Oaks. Brown said on Friday that Feedback would start in the Beaumont, run at a distance – seven furlongs – that she has won at. Feedback aired by eight lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs in her career debut last summer at Saratoga before going to the sidelines. She returned to win the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes going seven furlongs at Gulfstream. The runner-up finishers in both races have come back to win, while Forward Gal third-place finisher Champagne Anyone recently won the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

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Feedback, who is likely to contribute to the pace, drew the outside post in the field of eight under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Mother Mother, who ships in for Bob Baffert, will be reunited with Florent Geroux, who piloted her to victory in the Rags to Riches Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs and a third-place finish, beaten just a neck, in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes won by Chasing Yesterday. Since then, Mother Mother has been chasing divisional standout Bellafina, finishing second in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and fourth in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes.

Queen of Beas finished second on debut to Just Ain’t Right, who is now stakes-placed. Since then, Queen of Beas has won both her outings, winning her maiden at Gulfstream with a Beyer Speed Figure of 92 and then winning an optional-claiming event with an 87 Beyer. Her 92 is the top figure in this field. Mother Mother owns an 87, while Feedback’s Forward Gal win earned an 85.

Regular rider Jose Ortiz remains aboard Queen of Beas for trainer Jorge Abreu.

Completing the field are Martha Washington Stakes winner Power Gal, stakes winners Fancy Dress Party and Iva, and stakes-placed Another Time and Shanghai Rain.