Street Band, Champagne Anyone work toward Kentucky Oaks

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A pair of Kentucky Oaks hopefuls coming off their most important victory both were out for a five-furlong breeze Monday morning over a fast track at Churchill, with Street Band finishing in 1:00.40 and Champagne Anyone going at a more relaxed pace in 1:03.40.

In their last start, Street Band won the Fair Grounds Oaks for trainer Larry Jones, and Champagne Anyone captured the Gulfstream Park Oaks for trainer Ian Wilkes.

◗ Avie’s Flatter, winner of the Grade 3 Transylvania over the Keeneland turf April 5, is being pointed to the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, trainer Josie Carroll confirmed over the weekend. The 3-year-old Flatter colt is a major candidate for the June 29 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine, the home track of Carroll and owner-breeder Ivan Dalos.

◗ Jockey Chantal Sutherland had her first mount since the Fair Grounds meet when she guided Showed Up Late to a fourth-place finish in the first race here Saturday. Sutherland, who has ridden 1,057 winners in a career dating to 2000, is among a sizable contingent of newcomers planning on riding at the upcoming Churchill spring meet.

◗ There will be no racing here Sunday because of the Easter holiday. Racing will resume for the final three-day stretch of the meet on April 24. Churchill starts April 27.