Keeneland: In Lingerie earns shot at Kentucky Oaks

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In Lingerie, an easy six-length winner of the Bourbonette Oaks in her latest race, will make her next start in the May 4 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, it was announced this week by Aron Wellman, who heads the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnership that co-owns the filly with Gary Barber.

In Lingerie will be ridden by John Velazquez in the $1 million Oaks, which is shaping up with a full gate of 14 3-year-old fillies. A daughter of Empire Maker, In Lingerie got a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the March 24 Bourbonette at Turfway Park in just her third career start, after which she returned to the Palm Meadows training center, where through last weekend she had recorded two workouts for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Wellman said after discussing with Pletcher whether to try In Lingerie in the Oaks that they agreed that running her “is a calculated risk worth taking. In Lingerie is an extremely talented, yet relatively unseasoned filly. She’s training exceptionally well, her numbers are progressive and well within striking distance of the top fillies pointing for the race, and she will appreciate the distance.”

In Lingerie is one of at least 13 fillies known to be pointing to the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, for which entries will be taken May 1. Those others are And Why Not, Believe You Can, Grace Hall, Hard Not to Like, Karlovy Vary, Killer Graces, Mamma Kimbo, On Fire Baby, Reneesgotzip, Summer Applause, Yara, and Zo Impressive.

Meanwhile, nominations for all undercard stakes to be run on Derby weekend were released this week by Churchill. Among the major events on the Oaks undercard is the Grade 2 La Troienne, which is expected to get Havre de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year.

Lexington good spot for Holiday Promise

Holiday Promise, one of the many contenders in a highly competitive renewal of the Coolmore Lexington on Saturday, has been something of a pleasant surprise for owner WinStar Farm, which already has Gemologist as a major threat for the May 5 Kentucky Derby.

WinStar president Elliott Walden said the farm didn’t even bother to nominate Holiday Promise to the Triple Crown series but is glad nevertheless to be having Pletcher run him in the Lexington after the colt finished second at 25-1 in the Vinery Spiral four weeks ago at Turfway.

“This looked like the right kind of spot after that nice race in the Spiral,” said Walden.

WinStar won the Derby two years ago with Super Saver.

Wise Dan, Rogue Romance top Ben Ali lineup

A field of seven older horses, headed by Wise Dan and Rogue Romance, has been entered for the Sunday feature at Keeneland, the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes, which goes at 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack.

Rogue Romance, trained by Ken McPeek, was a three-length winner of a March 31 Gulfstream Park allowance following a year-plus layoff. The 4-year-old colt was knocked off the Triple Crown trail last spring with a foot fracture.

“We were thrilled with the way he ran at Gulfstream, and we’re really excited about getting him back into stakes company and seeing where we are with him,” said McPeek.

From the rail out, this is the Ben Ali field: Eye of the Leopard, Cease, Rogue Romance, Guy’s Reward, Ioya Bigtime, Wise Dan, and Big Blue Kitten.

Team Valor acquires Allaboutcaroline

Team Valor International has made a private purchase of Allaboutcaroline, an impressive 5 3/4-length winner when making her career debut here April 13 in a 4 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. There are no Beyer Speed Figures assigned to 2-year-old races in the spring.

The purchase price was not disclosed, although one source said it was “mid-six-figures.” Previously owned by the partnership of Steve Snowden, Doug Arnold, and Kay Reed and trained by Eric Reed, Allaboutcaroline is a gray daughter of Value Plus. She will be trained by Graham Motion.

Superfecta jackpot for pair of dime bets

Only two dime tickets were sold on a huge superfecta that resulted Wednesday when longshots filled out the top slots in the third race.

From a superfecta pool of $52,461, just two 10-cent winners, each worth $21,207.18, were sold. The winner of the 12-horse maiden-claiming route was Mystic Beach at 31-1, followed by horses at 59-1, 31-1, and 6-1. The posted $2 payoff was $424,143.60, although that is misleading, considering the actual size of the pool.

– additional reporting by Byron King