Siege of Troy ships over for big purse in Dueling Grounds Oaks

We’ll hear talk the next two months regarding the Ireland-based 3-year-old colt City of Troy’s attempt to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. But first, on Wednesday, it’s the Ireland-based 3-year-old filly Siege of Troy who will try to win the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs.

Among her opponents are Waves of Mischief and Kalispera, first and third, respectively, in the Aug. 4 Pucker Up Stakes at Ellis Park. Kalispera was bred in Ireland and began her career there. Waves of Mischief comes from the barn of trainer Brendan Walsh, who was bred in Ireland and began his career there.

John Murtagh trains Siege of Troy, just his second starter in North America since Murtagh took out a training license in 2013. Before that, Murtagh ranked among the world’s best-known jockeys, winning all the Irish Classics, many of the major races in Europe, including the Arc, as well as three Breeders’ Cup races. Siege of Troy was far from a Classic filly back home, but Murtagh has found a sweet spot to run for more money than her connections ever could imagine overseas. The Dueling Grounds Oaks, contested over 1 5/16 miles, is worth $1.6 million, including a $600,000 Kentucky-bred supplement, meaning Siege of Troy has a reasonable chance to win a $1 million race.

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That’s quite something for a horse whose bankroll after five starts stands at $23,301. On ratings, the company she has kept, and visually, Siege of Troy has progressed throughout the summer. Murtagh raced her in cheek pieces, then ran her in blinkers for the first time when Siege of Troy stepped up in class to finish fourth – three good horses in front of her, another behind her – in the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes on Aug. 16. Siege of Troy cuts back Wednesday from 1 1/2 miles and will have Florent Geroux aboard.

Murtagh trains Siege of Troy for Qatar Racing, and Qatar Racing also owns Waves of Mischief, who, like Siege of Troy, comes to the Dueling Grounds Oaks with progressive form. A smart debut winner at Keeneland in April, Waves of Mischief floundered in deep going finishing third in the Hilltop at Pimlico, ran nary a step with blinkers added for the Selene over Woodbine’s Tapeta, but rebounded – blinkers off – scoring a game win in the Pucker Up.

Pin Up Betty, beaten a head in the Pucker Up while one length clear Kalispera, also runs in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. Her trainer, Mike Maker, has won multiple Kentucky Downs training titles but comes into Wednesday’s closing card winless with 39 starters.

Kathynmarissa could be favored following her second-place finish last month in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational, but that showing was an outlier among seven starts, not the filly’s baseline performance level.

Greenfinch finished fourth Saturday facing older rivals in the Ladies Marathon and is only a possible runner for trainer Aidan O’Brien – another Irish connection at Kentucky Downs.

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