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Ria Antonia transferred to Amoss, Preakness possible

Ria Antonia is now with trainer Tom Amoss and is being considered for the Preakness (Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos) Ria Antonia, the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, was added to the list of candidates for the 139th running of the $1.5 million Preakness Tuesday morning. If the daughter of Rockport Harbor is shipped to Pimlico to run in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown on May 17, she will be saddled for the first time by trainer Tom Amoss. Ron Paolucci's Loooch Racing Stable and Christopher T. Dunn have transferred their three-year-old filly from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to Amoss following her distant sixth-place finish behind Untapable in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs last Friday. "She trained this morning with us for the first time," said Amoss at his Churchill barn Tuesday morning. "She is going to have a light breeze Monday or Tuesday after which Mr. Paolucci and I will discuss the Preakness."

Should Ria Antonia take on the boys, including Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, she would attempt to become the sixth filly to capture the Preakness, joining Rachel Alexandra (2009), Nellie Morse (1924), Rhine Maiden (1915), Whimsical (1906) and Flocarline (1903).

Following Ria Antonia's victory in the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita last November, when she finished second by a nose but was placed first through the disqualification of She's a Tiger, Paolucci announced his intention to point his filly to the Kentucky Derby.

After finishing fourth in her 2014 debut in the Rachel Alexandraat Fair Grounds on February 22, when she was beaten by more than 14 lengths by Untapable, Ria Antonia was transferred from trainer Jeremiah Englehart to Baffert. She debuted for Baffert with a second-place finish behind Fashion Plate in the Santa Anita Oaks on April 5.

In the Kentucky Oaks, she loomed boldly while making a wide run on the turn into the homestretch before weakening through the stretch, finishing 15 1/4 lengths behind Untapable.

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