Land Over Sea, Street Fancy avoid Songbird in Fair Grounds Oaks

NEW ORLEANS – It is exactly 1,880 miles from Santa Anita to Fair Grounds, which is the distance Land Over Sea and Street Fancy traveled so they could get away from the mighty Songbird. Their connections had seen enough over the last few months. It was time to leave.

So, rather than run in the Santa Anita Oaks on April 9 and hope to pick up crumbs chasing Songbird, both fillies flew here for a far better chance to take down the top prize in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on Saturday.

“We’ll get a chance to see how good she is without having to compete against Songbird,” said Jack Sisterson, the assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill who is overseeing Land Over Sea’s visit here.

Land Over Sea has made her last five starts against Songbird and finished second to her three times but never got closer at the finish than 3 3/4 lengths. In this race, she is the second choice on the morning line to Stageplay, who is seeking to bounce back after a disappointing effort as the odds-on favorite in the Rachel Alexandra here last month.

Street Fancy has run just once against Songbird, but trainer Phil D’Amato didn’t need to see any more after the Las Virgenes at Santa Anita on Feb. 6. He also believes the long stretch here is analogous to the one at Los Alamitos, where Street Fancy scored her biggest victory in December’s Grade 1 Starlet.

“She should come rolling late,” D’Amato said.

Eight 3-year-old fillies are entered in the Fair Grounds Oaks, which offers 170 points overall – including 100 to the winner – under the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the field for the Kentucky Oaks on May 6.

Fair Grounds Oaks, Race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

Land Over Sea, by Bellamy Road

Last 3 Beyers: 88-77-77

◗ She got a career-best Beyer Speed Figure three weeks ago when finishing second to Songbird in the Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita.

◗ She seems to have settled in well. She had an eye-catching gallop Wednesday.

“I expect a big race,” Sisterson said. “She shipped well.”

◗ Although she is stakes-placed four times on dirt, twice in Grade 1 company, her lone victory came on turf.

◗ With Mario Gutierrez in Dubai to ride Frank Conversation in the UAE Derby for O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam, John Velazquez takes over.

Street Fancy, by Street Sense

Last 3 Beyers: 41-74-76

◗ She finished last against Songbird, beaten 28 lengths, in her lone start this year, the Las Virgenes, but D’Amato said the race should be thrown out.

“She banged her head on the gate right before they kicked it open,” he said. “We’ve done plenty of schooling with her, and she’s been minding her manners.”

Stageplay, by Curlin

Last 3 Beyers: 67-82-82

◗ After three wins and a second in her first four starts, she was fifth in the Rachel Alexandra after being caught wide the whole race on a surface that favored inside lanes.

“I’m hoping it was just a bad day,” said her rider, Florent Geroux. “She was not on the best part of the track. We were hung wide. She’s worked really well since.”

◗ Her trainer, Steve Asmussen, also sends out Adore, who has won both of her starts going two turns and is making her stakes debut.