Lovely Maria can give Jones first Ashland win

Trainer Larry Jones has won many prestigious stakes for 3-year-old fillies, including the coveted Kentucky Oaks in 2008 with Proud Spell and in 2012 with Believe You Can. He also has found success in the major preps for the Oaks, taking the Fair Grounds Oaks and Fantasy three times apiece.

A race he hasn’t won is the Ashland Stakes – a void that could be filled Saturday at Keeneland, where he saddles Lovely Maria in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ashland, run at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.

The runner-up behind stablemate I’m a Chatterbox in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 21, she looks well suited to the pace composition of the Ashland, having tactical speed in a race short on pace, and her company lines also hint at success.

Most of all, Jones seems encouraged by how she has done recently.

“She’s trained so well since [the Rachel Alexandra],” he said.

This is coming from a man who knows how to get his 3-year-old fillies to peak. According to Daily Racing Form’s Formulator database, Jones has won with 31 percent of his 3-year-old fillies running on dirt over the past five years, and they collectively outran their odds. A $2 wager on each would have yielded a return of $2.51.

Regular stable rider Kerwin Clark returns aboard Lovely Maria, a daughter of Majesticperfection owned by breeder and former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones, with whom Larry Jones teamed to the win Kentucky Oaks twice.

Just six other fillies are entered. Other notable runners include the British raider Peace and War, who shipped to the U.S. to take the Alcibiades Stakes on the new Keeneland dirt track last fall, Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes winner Angela Renee, and Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes winner West Coast Belle.

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Key contenders

Peace and War (Last Beyer: 84)

* Overcame a slow start to win the Alcibiades in her first try on dirt last year as a 2-year-old, although a furious pace set up her closing style and aided the other top finishers.

* Has impressed onlookers with a striking appearance this week while training at Keeneland, including when blowing out a quarter-mile in 23.40 seconds Thursday.

Angela Renee (Last 3 Beyers: 85-76-59)

* The leading money earner in the field, she is expected to fall into a stalking position in the Ashland, a contrast to how she ran when fourth in the Rachel Alexandra in her seasonal debut. She appeared to be climbing early over the Fair Grounds surface but still rallied to be fourth, a neck behind the runner-up, Lovely Maria.

Lovely Maria (Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-66)

* Had every right to falter in the Rachel Alexandra after pushing a fast pace but showed heart to turn back Forever Unbridled and Angela Renee and hold the place position. She previously led throughout in a Fair Grounds allowance over Shook Up, the runner-up to I’m a Chatterbox in last week’s Fair Grounds Oaks.

West Coast Belle (Last 3 Beyers: 77-79-87)

* Perfect in three starts at 2, she was unplaced in two stakes at Fair Grounds this winter but might rebound on a different track. She’s making the third start of her current form cycle and is a daughter of Tapit, one of North America’s elite sires.