Needs Supervision proceeding to Fair Grounds Oaks

Trainer Jerry O’Dwyer expected the 3-year-old filly Needs Supervision to improve on her winning performance Jan. 19 in the Silverbulletday Stakes when she ran back in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 19.

“I thought she’d run better, and she ran worse,” O’Dwyer said.

Needs Supervision could only finish fifth with no apparent excuse in the Rachel Alexandra, though her Beyer Speed Figure declined only three points, 76 to 73, from her Silverbulletday win. What appeared to happen was that Needs Supervision failed to make any race-to-race progress while running into a sharp winner, Serengeti Empress.

Serengeti Empress is expected to run back in the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 23, and O’Dwyer said Needs Supervision, if all goes smoothly, will be in the gate to try her again.

“She jogged a few days after the race but now she’s back galloping regular,” said O’Dwyer, who got his first stakes win with Needs Supervision, who shipped from O’Dwyer’s base at Laurel Park in mid-January and has been at Fair Grounds since. “It was obviously a disappointing run, but she’s training good again.”