Yielding turf could be problem for Giant's Causeway favorites

On a nice firm course, pick your venue, the Grade 3, $300,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes could come down to an East Coast versus West Coast contest.

From the East comes Roses for Debra, who won four races in a row last year after joining the barn of trainer Christophe Clement and becoming a turf sprinter.

Elm Drive travels from the opposite coast for California’s top turf trainer, Phil D’Amato. She’s taken tough losses in her last two turf sprints, both at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s downhill course. The 5 1/2-furlong Giant’s Causeway could suit her.

However, neither “nice” nor “firm” will describe a Keeneland grass course that has taken rain throughout the week. Yielding and messy seems more accurate, and that might not suit either Roses for Debra or Elm Drive.

D’Amato said in a Thursday text message that Elm Drive runs regardless of course condition. The mare never has tried anything but firm turf, and maybe softer ground doesn’t slow her down.

Roses for Debra capped her 2023 winning streak with two stakes wins at Saratoga. Then she went to Parx Racing for the Turf Monster in September. She faced males, but that was not Roses for Debra’s undoing: She appeared to struggle over a course officially rated yielding that looked more like soft ground. Conditions might be against her Saturday.

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Love Reigns, winner last spring at Keeneland of the Limestone, a turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies, looks like a top-of-the-ground filly. Trainer Wesley Ward said last weekend that Love Reigns has struggled to stay sound but has been training well into the Giant’s Causeway. That might not matter.

Oeuvre will try hard and race competitively in a wide range of circumstances, short or long, turf or dirt. Turf sprints probably suit her best, and a wet course might negatively affect her less than many. But a demanding campaign over the last three seasons could be catching up to Oeuvre, at least based on her showing Feb. 13 in the Mardi Gras Stakes.

Secret Money also might not mind the going and a year ago was a second-start maiden winner at Keeneland after a modest debut over five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park grass. Following a winter break, Secret Money was a decent fourth going five furlongs at Gulfstream in the Captiva Island Stakes. The pattern is there, and Secret Money might be right there, too.

Secret Money’s big 2023 win came in the Music City Stakes at Kentucky Downs, where Bling was third by 1 3/4 lengths. Make no mistake: Bling ran the better race. The filly reared at the start and was many lengths behind the second-to-last runner down the backstretch. It was a minor miracle she got third.

“We gave her a break for the winter and she’s training super,” trainer Vickie Oliver said. “I do think she’s a miler, but she won going 5 1/2 here in the fall, and I thought I’d try it again in the spring.”

Bling finished with a flourish to best a good field of allowance runners in October. And even if she wants more distance than this, an added dose of stamina comes in handy over a laboring course. The Giant’s Causeway might turn into a Bling thing.

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