She's a Julie keeps coming to win La Troienne Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A year after losing a first-level allowance in the race after the Kentucky Oaks, She’s a Julie became a Grade 1 winner on the undercard of Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, outfighting Secret Spice to the wire to win the $500,000 La Troienne Stakes by a half-length at Churchill Downs.

After sitting a nice inside stalking trip under Ricardo Santana Jr., She’s a Julie had to wait a bit approaching the quarter pole while Secret Spice, coming off a Grade 1 victory in the Beholder Mile at Santa Anita, got the jump on her turning for home.

Santana was able to get She’s a Julie into the clear in upper stretch, and despite lugging in twice, She’s a Julie was able to wear down Secret Spice just strides from the wire.

Secret Spice finished second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Blue Prize, the 2-1 favorite. She was followed by Mopotism, Awe Emma, Viva Forever, Chocolate Martini, Divine Miss Grey, and Teresa Z. Golden Award scratched.

The win was the sixth from 13 starts for She’s a Julie, who had won three Grade 3 stakes and was second in the Grade 1 Alabama as a 3-year-old.

“She’s a Grade 1-winning mare and very deservedly so,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I was very concerned going into the second turn. It seemed like Secret Spice got the jump on her, and she had to wait for traffic a bit – even late – but I thought she showed her heart to wear her down.”

She’s a Julie, a 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.58 over a track upgraded to fast after beginning the day sloppy. She returned $12 as the fourth betting choice.

The victory had a little more significance in that She’s a Julie was named by original owner Carol Castille for Julie Asmussen, Steve’s wife. Both Castille and Julie Asmussen are throat-cancer survivors.

She’s a Julie is now owned by many entities, including Whispering Oaks Farm, Team Hanley Racing, Madaket Stables, and Bradley Thoroughbreds.

Asmussen said he was concerned about the heavy rain Friday morning that had made the track sloppy for the 10:30 a.m. Eastern start to the Kentucky Oaks card. Asmussen noted that She’s a Julie’s worst race came over a sloppy track as a 2-year-old, and she lost her next three starts.

Though she lost by a head in the aforementioned allowance race on last year’s Oaks card, She’s a Julie went on to win four of her next six starts entering the La Troienne.

“I thought she got back on track last year here,” Asmussen said.

She’s a Julie had most of being into the race early. On Friday, Santana, believing there was ample speed in the field, opted to take She’s a Julie a few lengths off the early pace.

“I told Steve, ‘I want to sit behind the speed,’ ” Santana said. “He said, ‘You know the filly really well. Do what you can.’ I put her behind the horses. She relaxed really well when she picked up the bridle at the three-eighths – that’s when she started running.”

Geovanni Franco had Secret Spice sitting second early. Secret Spice took over from the pacesetting Awe Emma, also trained by Asmussen, at the five-sixteenths pole. Franco said his filly got a little tired in deep stretch.

“We were running out of gas; she gave me everything she had,” Franco said.

She’s a Julie gives Asmussen a second Grade 1-winning 4-year-old filly in the barn. While Midnight Bisou is expected to make her next start in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont on June 8, She’s a Julie could start next in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis here on June 15.

“That would make sense, but we’re going to respect the effort she gave today and watch her,” Asmussen said.