Turfway Park: Aurelia’s Belle powers to victory in Bourbonette Oaks

FLORENCE, Ky. – Aurelia’s Belle, who turned in even performances in graded stakes at Gulfstream this winter, capitalized on a faster pace and a switch to Polytrack to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $126,000 Pure Romance Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

Well spotted by jockey Channing Hill, Aurelia’s Belle stalked a three-horse speed battle along the inside as Stormy Novel, Sloane Square and Zensational Bunny challenged each other early and set splits of 46.99 and 1:12.57 in the mile race.

Midway on the second turn, Aurelia’s Belle quickly advanced up the inside, and once she found room at the top of the stretch, the race was soon over. She passed favored Sloane Square and pulled clear for a 2 1/4-length victory. Aurelia’s Belle raced a mile in 1:38.99 and paid $9.40 as the second favorite in the field of 11.

Sloane Square finished second. Katie’s Eyes, who made a menacing move sweeping past horses on the outside on the second turn, flattened out in the lane and was third.

Wayne Catalano, who trains Aurelia’s Belle for owner James F. Miller, said his filly’s winning performance leaves her on target to start in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks.

“That’s his dream to win the Oaks,” Catalano said. “That’s why we were here.”

In winning the Bourbonette, Aurelia's Belle earned 50 points in the system used by Churchill Downs officials for determining the Oaks field if it draws more than 14 entrants. Added to her points for finishing second in the Forward Gal and a third in the Davona Dale, she has 64 points, easily enough make the Kentucky Oaks if the race oversubscribes.

Performing well in defeat was Sloane Square, who received 20 points for her runner-up finish. In her first start around two turns, she took the worst of how the race set up.

“I tried to get her to relax the early part of the race – it just didn’t happen,” said her rider, John Velazquez. “I had a horse inside of me and another to the outside.”

xxxx

A race before the Bourbonette, Ghost Is Clear came from just off the pace to score by 2 1/2 lengths under Velazquez in the $50,000 Hansen Starter Handicap. Ghost Is Clear paid $3.80 to win.

Ghost Is Clear is owned and trained by Mike Maker, who trained Hansen. Maker started two others in the eight-horse field, including Gunderson, owned by the race’s sponsor, Kendall Hansen, who owned Hansen.