Find Joy goes from longshot to favorite for Washington Oaks

It wasn’t surprising that Find Joy paid $31.40 when she beat Princess Kennedy by 1 1/4 lengths in the $50,000 Kent Stakes at Emerald Downs on June 26. After all, Find Joy was beaten by more than 18 lengths in her previous start in the $50,000 Irish Day and was eligible for a first-level allowance race.

With her strong performance in the 1 1/16-mile Kent, Find Joy likely will be the favorite in the $75,000 Washington Oaks at Emerald on Sunday. The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies drew seven horses who each will carry 121 pounds.

Trainer Frank Lucarelli was perplexed with Find Joy’s performance in the Irish Day. With Isaias Enriquez aboard, she was sitting in a perfect stalking position but didn’t respond when Enriquez called upon her at the six-furlong mark.

“She made strong runs in a few of her races, and I thought she was coming up to a big race,” said Lucarelli. “Iggy said he had a ton of horse, and he was surprised when she didn’t fire. I scoped her, and it turned out she bled quite a bit. We treated her, and it made a big difference in the Kent.”

Find Joy is bred to run all day, and Lucarelli is hoping she will run to her breeding and not the way she is built.

“She’s compact and looks like a horse that wants to go five furlongs,” he said. “But she trains like a horse that won’t have any trouble going a mile and an eighth.”

Find Joy drew post 2 with Enriquez retaining the mount.

Princess Kennedy also appears to be peaking at the right time. Trained by Tom Wenzel, she rallied to finish second in the Kent and also finished full of run to get up for third in the Irish Day. She may be over the rigors of an ambitious fall-winter campaign that included being overmatched in the Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs and Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland.

Wenzel was pleased with Princess Kennedy’s bullet five-furlong move in 58.60 seconds July 14.

“She’s been knocking on the door; she has been working and training like she’s ready to run a big race,” he said.

Washington Oaks, Race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Find Joy, by Drosselmeyer

Last 3 Beyers: 71-42-65

◗ She worked a strong five furlongs last Monday and should get a similar trip to her win in the Kent.

Princess Kennedy, by Sun King

Last 3 Beyers: 69-71-53

◗ After disappointing as the favorite in the $50,000 Seattle Stakes, she rebounded with back-to-back solid efforts in the Irish Day and Kent.

My Heart Goes On, by Albertus Maximus

Last 3 Beyers: 63-73-57

◗ Trained by David Martinez, she might be suspect at the distance. Nonetheless, she is the speed of the speed, drew the rail, and could take them a long way if she can get away with moderate fractions.