Oeuvre has to deal with shippers in Jean Elizabeth
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They're coming from Kentucky, Indiana, and Minnesota for the $75,000 Jean Elizabeth Handicap Wednesday at Hawthorne, but the most likely winner need only walk over from her regular stall on the backstretch to the starting gate.
Oeuvre hits a higher level on turf than dirt but still will be formidable in the Jean Elizabeth, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt contest. The race has no statebred restriction but Jean Elizabeth was an Illinois-bred and so is Oeuvre. Since Chris Block took over her training for breeder Richard Perkins, before the filly began her 2022 season, Oeuvre has gone 13-10-0-1. She has won three open stakes, including a dirt race, and comes off a well-deserved freshening while starting for the first time since May 21.
Oeuvre, by Shackleford, carries top weight of 124 pounds and concedes between one and nine pounds over a distance possibly slightly longer than ideal. A bettor might be inclined to play against her at a relative short price.
The Kentucky shipper is Cheetara, who already has one overlaid stakes victory this season, the $100,000 Skipat May 20 at Pimlico, where she got up at odds of 17-1. Cheetara also is one for one at Hawthorne; in June 2022, she was easily best in the $75,000 Crestwood, which she won by 2 1/2 lengths. Cheetara, based at Keeneland with Ignacio Correas and with Correas go-to jockey, Vincent Cheminaud, named to ride, raced without Lasix in a subpar showing July 8 at Delaware Park and is back on it Wednesday. Cheetara got respect from the handicapper and at 123 gets just one pound from Oeuvre.
Trainer Brad Cox sends Golden Bell from his Horseshoe Indianapolis string. The lightly raced 4-year-old made her first five starts for Wesley Ward and in her lone race for Cox was a fading fourth May 13 in a Churchill Downs allowance race. She has speed and the rail and is weighted 115, but Oeuvre is likely to be hot on her heels from the start.
Charlie’s Penny, in from Canterbury, is a mild late-running threat whose best days are behind her; Sharp Hero has an equally good chance at a better price. And don’t rule out Off Ramp, a 4-year-old who broke out June 7 at Hawthorne with an 8 3/4-length win in a second-level dirt sprint allowance and comes into the Jean Elizabeth on a two-race winning streak.
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