Wiggins's wish granted for Brown Eyed Beauty

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Hal Wiggins said before the draw for Saturday's $50,000 Carousel at Oaklawn Park that one of two posts would best suit his leading contender Brown Eyed Beauty.

"If I had my choice, I'd pick 4 or 5," said Wiggins. "She likes to be outside of horses."

Wish granted. Brown Eyed Beauty will break from post 5 in the six-furlong Carousel, which is the final sprint stakes of the meet for fillies and mares. The series has gotten progressively more competitive since the first leg, the $50,000 American Beauty on Feb. 8.

"This will be the toughest of the three," said Blackie Huffman, who trains starter Emily Ring.

Emily Ring won the American Beauty, and Brown Eyed Beauty captured the $50,000 Spring Fever here March 9. The two could vie for favoritism in the seven-horse Carousel, which also drew last year's winner, Southern Tour, who will be making her third start back from a layoff; shipper Bruanna, who won five straight races last year; powerful closer Princess Jen; and Supreme Discovery, who has never lost around one turn at Oaklawn.

Brown Eyed Beauty picked up her first stakes win in the Spring Fever when she sat in third early, then rallied past Southern Tour for a two-length win. She covered 5 1/2 furlongs in a strong 1:03.94.

"She's doing fine," said Wiggins. "She had a real easy breeze five or six days ago. She's bouncing and ready."

Emily Ring finished seventh as the favorite in the Spring Fever, and Huffman considers the race a throwout. She came out of the race in good order, and before that had won three straight stakes.

"She's eating good, and she's bright-eyed every day she goes to the track," said Huffman.

Supreme Discovery showed a new dimension in her last start, when she came from off the pace to win an allowance on March 12. The race was her first since Oct. 26, and her fourth one-turn victory at Oaklawn.

Trainer Steve Hobby looks for Supreme Discovery to move forward in her second start back Saturday.

"She's actually doing better now, I feel like, than she was before the last race," said Hobby. "She'd been off a long time."

Bruanna ships in from Gulfstream Park for trainer Mike Gorham. Last year she was claimed for $35,000 and she won her next three starts, including two six-furlong stakes at Delaware Park.

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