Panty Raid back for run at Cup

LEXINGTON, Ky. - When Keeneland fans last saw her, Panty Raid was winning the biggest race of the meet. A victory in the Spinster Stakes last fall capped a remarkable year during which the filly hit for the modern-day racetrack cycle by winning graded stakes on dirt, turf, and synthetics.

The 14th running of the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes is the spot that trainer Todd Pletcher has hand-picked for the return of Panty Raid, who heads a field of seven entered in the Friday feature at Keeneland. A 4-year-old Glencrest Farm filly who was judiciously withheld from the Breeders' Cup last year after winning the Spinster three weeks beforehand, Panty Raid is a major hopeful for the 25th Breeders' Cup championships in October, when the BC Distaff will be run at Santa Anita, said Pletcher.

"It was a tough decision on the Breeders' Cup last year, but we just didn't feel like there was a perfect race for her at that time," he said. "In hindsight, we certainly felt comfortable, considering the [sloppy] conditions, with our decision not to rush her back.

"She's such a versatile filly. She can run so well on any surface, and we felt we could have a really big year with her. We freshened up and now here we are, ready to go."

Panty Raid, with Garrett Gomez to ride, will break from post 6 in the $125,000 Doubledogdare, a 1 1/16-mile race, which is carded as the ninth of 10 Friday races. Besides the Spinster, Panty Raid, a daughter of Include, also won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on the Pimlico dirt and the Grade 1 American Oaks on the Hollywood Park turf last year.

If her comeback is to be foiled, the most likely upsetters are Say You Will, a Darley Stable filly who most recently was second in the Grade 2 La Canada at Santa Anita; Indescribable, whose three victories include an allowance romp over the Keeneland Polytrack last fall; and Meribel, who won the 2006 Valley View Stakes in her lone try over the Keeneland Polytrack.

The rest of the field is Marquee Delivery, Carriage Trail, and I'm in Love.

The Doubledogdare is part of the late pick four (races 7-10) with a guaranteed pool of $200,000. The race is named for the two-time champion filly (1955-56) owned by Claiborne Farm.