Oilgonewile benefits from turf bias

Oilgonewile, taking advantage of a turf course that has been speed-favoring of late, led throughout to post an authoritative 4 3/4-length decision over 2-1 favorite Tailbytherail in Saturday's $75,000 Live Oak Georgia Debutante Stakes at Calder.

The race was restricted to 2-year-old fillies who are progeny of stallions nominated to the Georgia breeding program.

Oilgonewile, a daughter of Montbrook, was hard-pressed contesting the pace in the recent John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes. But in the 1 1/16-mile Georgia Debutante, Oilgonewile ($27.60) was able to shake loose on an easy lead under jockey Wes Henry Sr. She accelerated suddenly to turn back a mild challenge from Wild Actress into the stretch then, after opening a long lead, was never seriously challenged through the final furlong.

Tailbytherail, beaten a head in her turf debut, rallied mildly to outfinish Hot Chili Pepper by a half-length to finish second in a full field of 12 2-year-old fillies. Hot Chili Pepper was one of two horses in the race trained by Marty Wolfson along with Winning Doe, who finished a tiring fifth. Winning Doe is owned by Live Oak's Charlotte Weber, who sponsored the Georgia Debutante.

Oilgonewile covered the distance in 1:42.83 over a firm course.