Sweet Talker takes on softer bunch

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It isn't very often that a horse wins a six-figure stakes race, then shows up three weeks later in an allowance race. That rare opportunity presented itself to the connections of Sweet Talker, and trainer Ken McPeek was more than willing to take advantage.

captured the $112,100 Edgewood Stakes on the May 6 Kentucky Oaks undercard, getting a terrific trip under Brice Blanc to defeat seven other 3-year-old fillies. Typically, a horse will lose eligibility for most allowance races after winning such a race, but given the wide-open conditions of the Friday feature, Sweet Talker is as welcome as anyone.

Five other 3-year-old fillies will oppose Sweet Talker in the ninth of 10 Friday races, a 1 1/16-mile race with a $71,900 purse. The race is designed as a prep for the June 18 Regret Stakes at Churchill.

Blanc said the Edgewood showed that Sweet Talker is in peak form.

"She is so brave, so game," said Blanc. "We got a perfect trip, but once she saw daylight, she wanted to go. She took off when I asked her to go."

Sweet Talker sailed through a rail opening just before turning for home in the Edgewood, then opened a big margin that carried her to a three-quarter-length triumph over Rich in Spirit. The victory was the fourth in nine starts for Sweet Talker.

In the Friday race, Sweet Talker has been assigned 122 pounds, two to 11 more than what her rivals will carry. That spread seems inconsequential, considering the accomplishments of Sweet Talker versus those of her opponents.

The main challengers to Sweet Talker, a Stormin Fever filly owned by Eliah and Lisa Kahn, appear to be Royal Bean and Godsend.

, trained by Dale Romans, has won 2 of 6 starts, with her most notable victory coming in an entry-level allowance at Gulfstream Park in January. She has been off since mid-March, but Romans's stable has been particularly live lately, so she may bear close watching.

, trained by Wally Dollase, has won 2 of 7 starts, including an entry-level allowance at Santa Anita in March.

The rest of the field is Brett's Favrette, Quite a Ruckus, and Flexible Princess.

The Regret, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the turf, is one of six stakes to be run here on Stephen Foster Day.

The Friday feature is the lone allowance race of the program. Twilight first post is 2:45 p.m. Eastern.