It could be Princess Attitude's turn to win for Oliver's barn
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Trainer Vicki Oliver has the talented 4-year-old filly Princess Attitude for the featured ninth race Sunday at Churchill Downs – but that’s not the only noteworthy thing happening in the Oliver barn this month.
Thursday, Oliver sent out a 24-1 first-time starter named Boston Time in a maiden special weight turf sprint, and after racing ninth to the three-furlong marker, Boston Time rallied smartly and won by a half-length. By Not This Time, 3-year-old Boston Time earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure.
Exactly one week earlier, Oliver sent out the Into Mischief filly Trouble Maker to debut in a Churchill maiden special weight turf sprint. She won by three lengths, and her 76 Beyer hits harder since Trouble Maker is just a juvenile filly.
Here’s the thing: Oliver never wins with first-timers. Before going 2 for 2 in the span of a week, Oliver had been 3 for 115 over the last five years in that category.
“I’m a developer,” said Oliver. “I use the first race as three works rather than having to get three works into them. I think in the long run, it’s better for the horses. With [Boston Time], it was unbelievable that he won, but I was just pleased that I got him to the races. I liked him, but it’s been a long time getting him there. Every time he’d take a step forward, he’d take a step back.”
Friday morning, at her Keeneland base, Oliver worked Bracket Buster a relatively easy half-mile in 48.40. Nothing has been easy about Bracket Buster’s last two races. He endured a tough trip finishing second in the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile in September, then came live to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he finished seventh, losing all chance after he blew the break.
“That was hard to stomach. I had planned this horse from the word go this year to get to the Breeders’ Cup, and then to be eliminated at the break,” Oliver said. “He worked really well this morning.”
Oliver is considering several options for Bracket Buster’s next start. Bettors should consider Princess Attitude a strong contender to clear her second allowance condition Sunday in a turf mile that drew a dozen fillies and mares.
Princess Attitude without question is capable of winning. She has several stakes placings and none of her rivals has hit a Beyer as high as Princess Attitude’s peak, 89. She’s making her second start after a freshening and ran well enough in her Presque Isle Downs comeback start – but in June at Churchill finished eighth at 9-2 in a turf race at this level.
“She runs spotty. She runs these big races, and then she doesn’t,” Oliver said.
In August, Princess Attitude finished seventh in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar but was beaten just three lengths.
“I had full confidence in her going out there, really,” Oliver said. “She didn’t run bad, but I was disappointed in her effort. She trains the same – always trains very well and is an extremely solid and sound filly.”
By Frankel, Princess Attitude is the 4-year-old sister to Oliver’s debut winner last week, Trouble Maker. Maybe it’s her turn Sunday at Churchill.
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