Stall has confidence in French Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For many racing fans, the lasting image of Kentucky Oaks Day 2014 at Churchill Downs has to be the sight of Untapable running off to a 4 1/2-length triumph.

But you can’t blame trainer Al Stall Jr. if his enduring memory is from the final race on Oaks Day, when he sent out a first-time starter named French Press to an impressive victory.

Almost seven weeks and four breezes later, French Press will return to action at Churchill when the penultimate race week of the 38-day spring meet starts Thursday with a nine-race program.

“French Press ran a great race Oaks Day,” Stall said. “She stands to improve off that first try, and we feel like she has. We feel like she might turn out to be a good one.”

French Press, with Alan Garcia back to ride for the JMJ Racing Stables of Dennis Narlinger, will start from the rail post when facing eight other 3-year-old fillies in the eighth race, a $52,000, first-level allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs.

“Alan will have to work it out from the 1 hole,” Stall said. “She’s a nice enough filly that hopefully being buried down in there shouldn’t be a problem.”

French Press, by Curlin, earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure in her unveiling, and it’s worth noting that the runner-up, Taketheodds, came back to win her only subsequent start by nearly four lengths.

Among the opposition in a competitive spot are State Visit (post 5, Shaun Bridgmohan), who also earned an 80 Beyer in a last-out maiden win for Juddmonte Farms and Bill Mott, and Avicii (post 3, Miguel Mena), who actually went through this condition in her last start and now comes shrewdly spotted by trainer Lynn Whiting for the available $75,000 claiming option.

One race beforehand is the only other allowance (race 7) on the card. It’s also a $52,000, first-level race, with an oversubscribed field of 3-year-olds and up scheduled to clash at five furlongs on turf. The race appears so ridiculously well matched that among the main body of 12, Churchill linemaker Mike Battaglia listed two co-favorites at 5-1 and four more runners at 6-1.

First post Thursday is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the seventh and eighth set for 3:47 and 4:18.

The highlights of this four-day week at Churchill are a 10-race Downs After Dark card on Friday and the $100,000 Debutante Stakes on Saturday.