Trio of top turf females back from layoffs in Hillsborough

OLDSMAR, Fla. – The connections of 2023 graded winners Elusive Princess, Marketsegmentation, and Aspen Grove all landed on the same spot to bring their turf females back to the races, making Saturday’s Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs a most intriguing affair.

The Hillsborough drew a solid cast of eight though trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Thursday he plans to scratch Beechnut Trophy for something a tad easier. The 1 1/8-mile turf race goes as race 9 on Tampa’s 12-race card, kicking off a late pick four which includes the featured Tampa Bay Derby.

Elusive Princess made quite the first impression last summer at Saratoga when she rallied from mid-pack, while covered up, over the bog that was the outer turf course to win the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks by 3 1/4 lengths. Prior to that, Elusive Princess, then trained by Jean Philippe Dubois, had a trio of solid, if not winning, efforts in group races in France.

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In her second start in the United States – first for trainer Arnaud Delacour – Elusive Princess finished fourth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, 2 1/2 lengths behind Mawj, who would come back and just miss against males in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Delacour felt the stalking-from-second trip Elusive Princess got at Keeneland was not her preferred style.

“I’d probably like to see her covered up and close on Saturday,” Delacour said. “We learned from the race at Keeneland.”

Elusive Princess has a steady series of works for her return, but Delacour cautions she’s not all the way cranked.

“She doesn’t have to win. I’m not sure she’s all the way there fitness-wise, but she should run well,” Delacour said.

Trainer Chad Brown has won the Hillsborough six times, including the last two – 2023 with Shantisara and 2022 with Bleecker Street. Saturday, he has Marketsegmentation and Fluffy Socks.

Marketsegmentation finished second in the Endeavour Stakes here last year. She then reeled off three consecutive victories capped by the Grade 1 New York at Belmont Park in June. She hasn’t run since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Diana last July at Saratoga.

“I was going to run her in the Beverly D., then something happened and we had to stop on her,” Brown said. “She looks like she’s come back good.”

She also looks like the potential speed in the race. She won the New York, at 1 1/4 miles, in front-running fashion under Jose Ortiz, who is aboard on Saturday.

Fluffy Socks has nine seconds to go along with five wins from 23 starts. She is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27.

“A mile and an eighth is a little bit of a stretch for her, but I didn’t want to run her back at Gulfstream,” Brown said.

Aspen Grove won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at 1 1/4 miles last July when trained by James Stock. After finishing fifth against males in the Saratoga Derby, Aspen Grove remained in the U.S. with Jack Sisterson. Aspen Grove has not run since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine last October.

Star Fortress made an eye-catching last to first move Nov. 23 to win the Grade 3 Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs by 10 lengths. Two months later, she finished last of 11 in the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream.

Cherie DeVaux, the trainer of Star Fortress, said her mare didn’t appreciate the firm turf at Gulfstream.

“The Churchill turf definitely had a lot more give than what was offered at Gulfstream,” DeVaux said. “Tampa is a bit fairer in that regard. We just drew a line through it, she came out of it in great shape and has trained forwardly since.”

Tyler Gaffalione rides Star Fortress from the outside post.

Sparkle Blue, third in the Grade 3 Endeavour here on Feb. 3, and Embrace Me, coming off a first-level allowance win over the course here Feb. 10, round out the field.

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