Serengeti Empress awaiting Rachel Alexandra Stakes

One Fair Grounds-based 3-year-old filly of note who won’t make the Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 19 is Serengeti Empress, but trainer Tom Amoss said Thursday he expects to have her ready for the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 16.

Serengeti Empress won the Ellis Park Debutante by more than 13 lengths before capturing the Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill, her two-turn debut, by more than 19 lengths. She was a 7-2 shot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies but failed to make the lead, as she had in the Pocahontas, and faded to finish a distant seventh.

“I thought she had an unfortunate trip,” Amoss said.

Serengeti Empress got a December freshening off the racetrack, as did two other horses for whom Amoss has 2019 stakes hopes, Lone Sailor and Chocolate Martini. Chocolate Martini won the 2018 Fair Grounds Oaks and went on to earn a Grade 1 placing when third in the Coaching Club American Oaks. She could make her 4-year-old debut in either a stakes race or an allowance race, though the Fair Grounds stakes schedule has nearly nothing for older female dirt-route horses.

Lone Sailor won the Remington Derby before finishing a creditable sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his 3-year-old finale.

◗ The Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, featured on the Jan. 19 multi-stakes card, had a long list of potential entrants as of Thursday. Either probable or possible for the first step toward the $1 million Louisiana Derby are War of Will, Tackett, Mr. Money, Malpais, Night Ops, Hog Creek Hustle, Plus Que Parfait, Manny Wah, Roiland, Chase the Ghost, Admire, Mo Speed, and Tight Ten.