La Troienne Stakes: Pauline's Pearl, Shedaresthedevil meet at level weights
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite a troubled start and conceding five pounds to her, Pauline’s Pearl finished in front of Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes last month at Oaklawn Park.
The connections of Pauline’s Pearl will hope for a smoother start and will appreciate being at level weights when the 4-year-old filly again takes on Shedaresthedevil in Friday’s Grade 1, $750,000 La Troienne Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs.
Pauline’s Pearl, owned and bred by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Steve Asmussen, has done what many progeny of her sire, Tapit, have done – improve with racing and age. She won the Zia Park Oaks last November with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 96. In two starts this year, she won the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic by 3 3/4 lengths before finishing second to Ce Ce, the champion female sprinter of 2021, in the Grade 2 Azeri.
The conditions of that race were such that Pauline’s Pearl, just a Grade 3 winner, was giving seven pounds to Ce Ce and five to Shedaresthedevil – both Grade 1 winners. Moreover, in the Azeri, Pauline’s Pearl was pinched back at the break and then had to go widest of all around the turn and in the stretch.
“She got shuffled back at the start, gave weight, made a huge run, and never gave up,” Asmussen said. “Very proud of her effort there.”
All seven runners in the La Troienne, run at 1 1/16 miles, carry 123 pounds.
This will be Pauline’s Pearl’s second attempt at a Grade 1. Her only try was last year’s Kentucky Oaks, where she finished eighth behind Malathaat.
“I think her 3-year-old form was consistent with that performance. It was good but it wasn’t great,” Asmussen said. “Obviously, an extremely talented group of 3-year-old fillies in that race who have went on to do well. I think both of her 4-year-old races are better than any of her 3-year-old races.”
Joel Rosario rides Pauline’s Pearl from post 6.
Shedaresthedevil, a 5-year-old daughter of Daredevil owned by Whisper Hill Farm and Qatar Racing, is 5 for 5 at Churchill Downs, including a victory in this race last year and the Kentucky Oaks in 2020. The Azeri was Shedaresthedevil’s first start since she finished sixth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar. She displayed her typical speed in the Azeri and showed some fight, but weakened late in finishing third.
“I’m hoping she may have needed it,” trainer Brad Cox said. “The two fillies who finished in front of her had runs on her. She’s really doing good; she loves it here. I really liked her works here. She’s been a pretty solid mare ever since we had her.”
Florent Geroux rides Shedaresthedevil from post 2.
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A win by someone other than Pauline’s Pearl or Shedaresthedevil would seem unlikely.
She’s All Wolfe and Ava’s Grace finished fourth and fifth at big prices in the Azeri, but neither truly threatened. Ava’s Grace did come out of that race to win a first-level allowance by 4 3/4 length on April 8 at Oaklawn.
A new face to graded competition is Battle Bling, in from New York off a winter and spring campaign at Aqueduct that saw her win the Ladies Stakes by a neck, lose the Heavenly Prize by a neck, and finish second to upsetter Exotic West in the Top Flight.
She figures to sit back and make one run under Irad Ortiz Jr., and pick up whatever pieces she can.
“It’s definitely tougher competition, but the race looks like there’ll be an honest pace,” said Rob Atras, who trains Battle Bling for Michael Dubb. “There’s the potential for rain and the horse ran decent over a wet track before, so that’s also encouraging.”
Temper Time has won two straight allowance races for trainer Dale Romans but doesn’t seem fast enough to threaten for the win here.
Jilted Bride, a second runner from Asmussen’s barn, comes off a dominant allowance win going a mile at Oaklawn and would have to improve off that.
The La Troienne goes as race 6 (1:26 p.m.)