Gierkink's preview: Two gifted runners square off

Selene Stakes stars

My Conquestadory will lock horns with another gifted runner, Paladin Bay, over 1 1/6 miles in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes, which lured just two other 3-year-old fillies.

The once-beaten My Conquestadory has been laid up since her deceptively good fourth Nov. 1 in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, when she raced without Lasix. Her recent works were solid, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see her need one before getting back to peak form. Her trainer, Mark Casse, is 1 for 17 (6 percent) with six-month-plus layoff types in synthetic track routes over the past five years.

Paladin Bay is prepping for the June 15 Woodbine Oaks off a wide-closing second in the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes. The hard-knocking Paladin Bay should be forwardly placed and tough to beat under Gerry Olguin, who has been aboard for all 10 of her outings.

Cool Faith figures to lead the way under Jesse Campbell in her first start with Lasix. She struggled over the winter on the grass at Gulfstream but made amends most recently with a pace-pressing allowance triumph over Keeneland’s Polytrack. This nicely bred daughter of Pulpit is the 3-1 third choice on the morning line. If she were to prevail, it would likely ensure a square payoff in the late pick four.

Babies back in action

The fourth is the first 2-year-old dash of the meet. The John Ross-trained entry of Our Nat’s and R U Watchingbud should attract lots of action in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden special for Ontario-sired stock. They worked a half-mile together in 48.80 seconds May 11. Both are bred to run long on the sire’s side, but Our Nat’s is bred to be more precocious than R U Watchingbud on the dam’s side.

La Nena Executive, Forestress, and Ghost Forest are all by Old Forester, who has sired an excellent 16 percent 2-year-old debut winners.

Ready comebackers?

Two entrants on the card have caught my eye in the morning. Unspurned, the race 5 morning line favorite, covered five-eighths in 1:01.20 May 8, before blowing out three-eighths from the gate in 37.20 Thursday. Trained by Roger Attfield, this Woodbine Oaks nominee should be geared up for her 3-year-old bow against older rivals in this seven-furlong allowance.

Stormy Revenge, an 8-1 outsider in the ninth, breezed three-quarters twice in 1:13 under leading rider Luis Contreras in recent weeks. The late bloomer hasn’t raced since his come-from-behind allowance score Nov. 15 and is making his first start for trainer Josie Carroll in this second-level optional claimer.

10th race Jackpot Hi 5

The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover is $110,365. There’s lots of speed in the 10th, a $12,500 conditioned-claiming sprint, which could set up for Blue Waters.