Vertical Oak, Golden Mischief own contrasting styles as Jersey Girl stablemates

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Steve Asmussen appears to have them going and coming with his uncoupled entry of Vertical Oak and Golden Mischief in Sunday’s $150,000 Jersey Girl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

From the rail, Vertical Oak, the winner of the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes on May 19, figures to be forwardly placed under Jose Ortiz. From the outside post in the seven-horse field, Golden Mischief figures to be coming late under Irad Ortiz Jr.

In between, there are a multitude of stakes winners to contend with, including Pretty City Dancer, Cajun Delta Dawn, and Yorkiepoo Princess.

That doesn’t include Chalon, a Southern California speedball whose claim to fame is being the only horse to have defeated the highly talented Unique Bella. Sadie Be Good, a sharp allowance winner here on May 10, completes the lineup.

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Vertical Oak will be making her third start in six weeks. She won the Goldfinch at Prairie Meadows by a dominating 7 3/4 lengths on April 29 before pressing a strong early pace and drawing away late to win the Miss Preakness by 3 3/4 lengths.

“Her last race wasn’t faster than the previous one,” Asmussen said when asked if he was worried about a regression, or “bounce.”

Vertical Oak could be compromised by the rail post and by the presence of Chalon, who is coming off a front-running, off-the-turf allowance win at Santa Anita on May 7.

A contested pace could set things up for Golden Mischief, a three-time listed stakes winner. Two starts back, she was put up to first in the Purple Mountain Stakes at Oaklawn when the stewards deemed that her stablemate, Vertical Oak, was interfered with by Our Majesty, who had crossed the finish line first.

Most recently, Golden Mischief had to go five wide and faltered late when fourth in the Grade 2 Eight Belles.

Jersey Girl, Race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

Golden Mischief, by Into Mischief

Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-79

◗ Cuts back to six furlongs, a distance at which she is 3 for 3, and projects to get a good stalking trip behind the speed.

◗ Beat stablemate Vertical Oak by 5 3/4 lengths in a Churchill allowance last fall.

Vertical Oak, by Giant Oak

Last 3 Beyers: 90-94-76

◗ Sharp victories in her last two starts but now wheels back in three weeks for the second time.

◗ Forced to check hard in the Purple Mountain, where she finished fourth but was elevated to third.

Chalon, by Dialed In

Last 3 Beyers: 79-65-79

◗ Likely will try to wire this field under Paco Lopez.

“She’s going to take them as fast as she can as far as she possibly can,” trainer Peter Miller said.

Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit

Last 3 Beyers: 78-63-67

◗ Scratched from the Miss Preakness when she tore off a shoe and was uncooperative when the blacksmith tried to get it back on.

◗ Cuts back to a distance at which she won the Debutante at Churchill last summer before dead-heating for the win in the Grade 1 Spinaway with Sweet Loretta.