Killarney Lass benefits from drop in class, outside post

Killarney Lass gets some needed class relief when she runs in a first-level allowance race with a $30,000 claiming option Saturday at Emerald Downs. The three-time winner will be running for a price for the first time since she romped by 10 lengths in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race on Sept. 16 at Emerald. She is no cinch, but is the one to beat in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies.

Post time for the first of eight races on Saturday is 5:10 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Killarney Lass won two races on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields this year, including a front-running victory going a mile in a first-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option on March 7. After that, she was given a shot in the Grade 3 Providencia at Santa Anita. Running on turf for the first time, she set the pace in the 1 1/8-mile race but faded after six furlongs to finish last.

With a solid record at Golden Gate, it looked like Killarney Lass might be a serious factor in the local 3-year-old filly stakes division. However, after finishing a distant third to Mucho Amor in the $50,000 Seattle Stakes on May 13, she wasn’t much of a factor in the $50,000 Kent Stakes, won by Alittlelesstalk on June 9.

Killarney Lass has speed, but she came from a stalking position when she won going 5 1/2 furlongs in a $50,000 starter race at Golden Gate in her first start of the year. She drew the outside post on Saturday, and with plenty of potential speed in the six-horse field, she could get a similar trip with Kevin Orozco riding.

KEY CONTENDERS

Killarney Lass, by Eskendereya

Last 3 Beyers: 44-58-48

◗ She could get the perfect trip sitting just off what figures to be a fast and contested pace.

◗ The 71 Beyer Speed Figure for her maiden romp in the slop at Emerald last September and the 73 she received for her last win in California stand out.

Money Inthe Stars, by Abraaj

Last 3 Beyers: 49-42-44

◗ The Michael Puhich trainee overcame trouble to win the $50,000 Washington Cup Juvenile Fillies in her final race of 2018, and after forcing the pace she was the runner-up behind Lasting Light in a race she may have needed in her first start back June 15. It’s easy to imagine her moving forward with a race behind her and a sharp interim work on June 29.

El Bell Camp, by Munnings

Beyers: 59-50-37

◗ She improved on Tapeta at Golden Gate in her second start and put it all together when she was an easy winner running on dirt in a $25,000 maiden claimer June 8 at Emerald.

◗ Trained by Blaine Wright, she is clearly trending in a positive direction, and being lightly raced she could have considerable upside. She will have to deal with other speed, though.