Lady Shipman can give O’Connell meaningful win in Coronation Cup

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Kathleen O’Connell has won more than 1,700 races and 60 stakes, but she’s never won a stakes race at Saratoga. On Monday, O’Connell will be favored to add that accomplishment to her impressive résumé when sending out her turf-sprint specialist Lady Shipman against nine other 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Coronation Cup.

“It’s like a slice of heaven just to race at Saratoga, and it’s certainly high up on my bucket list to win a stakes up there,” said O’Connell, who finished fourth with Blazing Sword in the 1997 Travers.

Lady Shipman has been unbeatable sprinting on grass and synthetic, having won all six of her starts at distances from five to six furlongs over those surfaces, including the Klassy Briefcase Stakes against older horses by 6 1/4 widening lengths with a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure in her most recent start at Monmouth Park. Her only setback on grass was a third-place finish behind Celestine in the seven-furlong Wait a While Stakes this spring.

“She’s a very special filly,” said O’Connell, whose stable is split between Gulfstream Park West and Monmouth Park this summer. “She’s done nothing but progress with every race, and all around, her last was her best yet, coming against a field of older, much more seasoned horses. I was so proud of her.”

Lady Shipman has been on or near the lead in all of her turf starts and figures to face a real test for the front end with speedsters like Manille and Super Saks in the lineup. A suicidal pace could be to the advantage of Dreamboat Annie, who rallied to win a New York-bred allowance race going six furlongs this spring at Belmont; Miss Ella, who turns back in distance while trying turf for the first time; and Ancient Goddess.

Key Contenders

Lady Shipman (Last 3 Beyers: 104-87-80)

◗ O’Connell said she’ll let jockey Eduardo Nunez dictate her filly’s strategy but doesn’t expect him to take away her biggest asset, which is her abundant speed. “Eddie knows this horse better than anybody – that’s my comfort level – but it’s 5 1/2 furlongs, and this is not rocket science either. You really don’t want to take a horse out of its comfort level.”

Dreamboat Annie (Last 3 Beyers: 76-72-73)

◗ Will have to step up her game from a Beyer standpoint and overcome the rail, but she is perfect in two starts on turf, perfect at the distance, and could enjoy a good pace setup if able to work out a trip.

Miss Ella (Last 3 Beyers: 75-67-83)

◗ Trainer Graham Motion wins at a 15 percent rate with first-time turf horses but has a profitable $2.24 ROI in the category, according to DRF Formulator.