Shahama might again have Juju's Map's number in Monmouth Oaks

Shahama got the better of Juju’s Map on June 25 in the Mother Goose Stakes, but the betting public still might side with Juju’s Map when the two meet again Sunday in the Monmouth Oaks.

Juju’s Map was favored at odds of 1-2 in the Mother Goose, which figured to serve as a stepping-stone to Grade 1 competition at Saratoga. Instead, Juju’s Map’s camp will try to regroup in the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Oaks, but this spot is no gimme, either.

Shahama finished second in the Mother Goose and crossed the wire nearly five lengths in front of Juju’s Map, who clunked home a distant third. Monmouth leading rider Paco Lopez often rides locally for Shahama’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, but Lopez winds up on Juju’s Map, with Jorge Vargas Jr. taking the call on Shahama.

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Shotgun Hottie could contend if she runs back to her most recent race, a tough-beat second-place finish in the Delaware Oaks. And Runaway Wife will contend if she runs back to her most recent start, a gallant second-place finish in the Indiana Oaks.

Runaway Wife’s trainer, Kenny McPeek, also entered Silverleaf, but said that filly was likely to be scratched. Office Etiquette would need a half-furlong head start to have a chance.

Juju’s Map won the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland last fall and was a distant second to subsequent 2-year-old filly champion Echo Zulu in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar last October. She was slow to get going this season, with Cox bringing her back in a May 6 allowance race against older rivals. Juju’s Map won with plenty in hand and got an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, but her Mother Goose marked a decided step back. Perhaps the one-turn configuration of the 1 1/16-mile race wasn’t to the filly’s liking, and she was forced into a 22.81-second quarter-mile when jockey Florent Geroux, trying not to get shuffled back when Shahama went for an early move, sent his headstrong mount up to take the lead before the turn.

But Shahama also went her second quarter in 22.81, and while she was no match late for victorious Gerrymander, she comfortably bested Juju’s Map. Unbeaten in four United Arab Emirates starts, including the UAE Oaks, Shahama was exported early this spring and turned over to Pletcher, finishing a creditable sixth in the Kentucky Oaks. She once again could find herself stalking Juju’s Map, who has come back to post three workouts since the Mother Goose.

Runaway Wife put a scare into the Cox-trained odds-on favorite Interstatedaydream in the Indiana Oaks on July 9. Racing eight days after her previous start, Runaway Wife took a lead from Interstatedaydream in upper stretch before the favorite pulled away late. Runaway Wife still earned a career-best 89 Beyer.

“She’s put in another solid workout since then,” McPeek said. “She needs to find another level. There’s a couple toughies in there. But she’s gotten stronger and stronger, and I think she thrives on racing.”

The Monmouth Oaks goes as race 5, post time 2:11 p.m. Eastern.