Lemon Zest is an appealing choice in the $135,000 Oaklawn Sports overnight stakes at Oaklawn Park. The new race is for newly turned 4-year-old fillies who have never won a stakes other than statebred and it will be run over 1 1/16 miles. “I’d say it’s a unique condition being limited to 4-year-olds only on New Year’s Day,” said Brad Cox, who trains Lemon Zest. The rare and welcome age restriction for runners now considered older horses comes on a day when Northern Hemisphere-born Thoroughbreds all turn a year older for administrative purposes. Lemon Zest, who was foaled in April, could go favored off her third-place finish in the Grade 2 Mother Goose on Nov. 8 at Aqueduct. The winner of the race, Fully Subscribed, returned in her next start to take that track’s Grade 3 Comely with a Beyer Speed Figure of 92. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “It obviously was a good race,” Cox said of the Mother Goose. “Lemon Zest showed a lot of determination and fight and effort to get that graded placing and we’ve kind of zeroed in on this race since. She’s trained well at the Fair Grounds leading up to this, and I feel with a good trip, she’ll be tough.” Flavien Prat has the mount from post 6. “She’s got a lot of natural speed,” Cox said. “She showed that when we stretched her out to the mile, when she broke her maiden, and she’s pretty much been forward since. I think somewhere up close is ideal for her.” Lemon Zest is a daughter of Nyquist who races for her breeder, Godolphin. She has placed in one other stakes, finishing second in the Remington Park Oaks, back in September. Prior to the race, Lemon Zest won a maiden special weight and a first-level allowance, both in Kentucky. The Oaklawn Sports drew a field of six that also includes Seraphia, the third-place finisher in the Remington Park Oaks, who came back in her next start to run second in the Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 25. Joel Rosario has the mount on the half-sister to millionaire Tenfold for trainer Steve Asmussen. Nerazurri is moving back to two turns after winning a $50,000 starter allowance sprint over six furlongs Dec. 20 at Oaklawn. Earlier this year she was Grade 3-placed when second to Haulin Ice in the Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park. Nerazurri is out of the mare Beautiful Liar, who has produced two stakes winners including $450,000 earner Weigh the Risks. Cristian Torres has the mount from post 2 for trainer Mark Casse. Kerry’s Kiss starts from post 3 in what is a much-improved gate over her last start, when she broke from the 10-hole and missed by a nose in a first-level allowance route at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 21 at Oaklawn. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for trainer Burl McBride. Take Charge Omaha owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 88, for her win in a first-level allowance at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 14 at Churchill. Luis Saez has the mount for trainer Matthew Sims. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.