Oeuvre remains hot, holds off Portilla in Pan Zareta Stakes

The 3-year-old filly Oeuvre has had it working since springtime. She won once in May, twice in June, once in July, twice in October, and on Saturday at Fair Grounds made it seven wins from eight 2022 starts by capturing the $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes by three quarters of a length over late-running Portilla.

Oeuvre’s lone loss of 2022 was a fine third-place finish in the $471,000 Music City Stakes over the Kentucky Downs Turf, while the Pan Zareta marked the Illinois-bred filly’s first victory in open stakes competition.

Chris Block, who trains Oeuvre for her breeder, Richard Perkins, earlier Saturday won the Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante at Hawthorne with Miss River Rat. Oeuvre, too, had won an Illinois-bred stakes race this fall at Hawthorne, but she was up to the task against stronger rivals in New Orleans.

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Originally carded for turf but moved to dirt because of persistent problems with the Fair Grounds grass course, which won’t be used until later this month at the earliest, the Pan Zareta wound up with a field of seven after Minute Waltz, Onamargaritaday, and Ulikeapples were scratched. The latter two in that trio were the Pan Zareta’s main on-paper pace players, and in their absence Perfect Happiness was sent to make the early lead. She quickly was joined on the inside by New Boss, while Jareth Loveberry, cognizant of the speed-favoring nature of the Fair Grounds racing surface this week, kept Oeuvre closer to the pace than usual.

About three-quarters of a length off the two leaders as the first quarter mile went in 22.12, Oeuvre had lost a touch of ground as Perfect Happiness and New Boss hit the quarter pole after a half mile in 45.60. Oeuvre, leveling off nicely, jumped on the leaders at the three-sixteenth pole and in the end it was Portilla, rallying from last, whom she had to hold clear.

Perfect Happiness stayed on solidly for third, beaten a neck by Portilla. Oeuvre clocked 1:04.86 for 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track and paid $5.80 as the favorite.

Oeuvre, by Shackleford out of Love This Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy, was not always a win machine. She went 1-3-1 from six starts last year at age 2 while racing for trainer Bradlee Rainwater and has improved with maturity and care this season.

“She used to get very nervous, but she’s calmed down a lot,” said Loveberry, who has gotten off to a strong start at a meet that began Nov. 18.

Perfect now from seven dirt starts this year, Oeuvre might well be a faster horse on turf, which, as good as this season has been, bodes well for her 2023 campaign.

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