Ginger Punch tops Louisville; Wanderin Boy seeks Alysheba repeat

Ginger Punch tops Louisville; Wanderin Boy seeks Alysheba

repeat

Champion older female GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) highlights Friday's

Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard with her presence in the $300,000 Louisville S.

(G2). Winner of the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), Ruffian H. (G1) and Go for Wand

H. (G1) in 2007, the Bobby Frankel-trained chestnut opened her five-year-old

campaign with a smashing 6 3/4-length victory in the Sunshine Millions Distaff

in January. She finished a subpar third as the 2-5 favorite in the Apple Blossom

H. (G1) last out, but Ginger Punch is a strong candidate to rebound given her

affinity for Churchill Downs. A winner in two-of-three starts over the oval, she

recorded a 2 3/4-length allowance score on the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1)

undercard in her last local appearance. Regular rider Rafael Bejarano, who

missed the Apple Blossom due to an injury, will return to the saddle.

LEAR'S PRINCESS (Lear Fan) displayed outstanding dirt form for Kiaran

McLaughlin last year, capturing the Gazelle S. (G1) after finishing a close

second in both the Alabama S. (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), but she

opened this year with a pair of losses in turf races, finishing fourth in the

Hillsborough S. (G3) most recently. She'll return to her best surface in the

Louisville, and the four-year-old bay owns the best chance at an upset. Eibar

Coa has the mount.

Falls City H. (G2) heroine KETTLEONEUP (Victory Gallop) is also in the

seven-horse field, and Grade 2 winner LEAH'S SECRET (Tiger Ridge) will be making

her second start for Todd Pletcher.

Grade 1-placed SILVER KNOCKERS (Silver Deputy) will lead the post parade with

a 118-pound impost that includes John Velazquez. Next comes Lear's Princess,

122; Kettleoneup, Calvin Borel, 122; BAYOU'S LASSIE (Outflanker), Kent

Desormeaux, 118; UNFORGOTTEN (Northern Afleet), Robby Albarado, 120; Leah's

Secret, Garrett Gomez, 118; and Ginger Punch, 124.

WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold) will seek back-to-back victories in the

$150,000 Alysheba S. (G3) while making his seven-year-old bow on Friday.

Conditioned by Nick Zito, the chestnut posted an impressive 4 1/4-length win in

last year's edition of the 1 1/16-mile event, and Wanderin Boy went on to finish

an excellent second behind Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr) in the Whitney H. (G1) before

concluding 2007 with a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Corey Nakatani, who

guided the Arthur Hancock homebred to victory last year, will return to the

saddle, but Wanderin Boy faces a more difficult task this time around against

the likes of CHELOKEE (Cherokee Run), MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades), JONESBORO (Sefapiano)

and GIANT GIZMO (Giant's Causeway).

Chelokee finished a fine third when making his stakes debut in the 2007

Florida Derby (G1), and he captured the Barbaro S. next time out on the

Preakness (G1) undercard. The Michael Matz pupil made only one more start at

three, capturing the Northern Dancer S. (G3) under the Twin Spires in June,

before heading to the sidelines. The dark bay colt returned off a 9 1/2-month

layoff with a sharp 1 1/2-length score in an allowance/optional claiming event

last out at Gulfstream Park. Ramon Dominguez will ride.

Magna Graduate an earner of more than $2.3 million for Todd Pletcher,

captured the 2005 Clark H. (G2) and finished second by a head in last year's

Stephen Foster H. (G1) at Churchill. The six-year-old exits a fourth in the

Excelsior H. (G3) at Aqueduct. Jonesboro captured the Razorback H. (G3) two

starts back, and Giant Gizmo will make his second stakes appearance for Frankel.

Sixth in the Strub S. (G2) two starts back, the four-year-old colt exits a nice

allowance/optional claiming victory over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita. He

was scratched from last Saturday's Mervyn LeRoy H. (G2) in order to run in the

Alysheba.

The seven contestants, from the rail, are BETTER THAN BONDS (Sweetnorthernsaint),

Edgar Prado; Wanderin Boy; Magna Graduate, John Velazquez; PROM SHOES (Include),

Julien Leparoux; Giant Gizmo, Rafael Bejarano; Chelokee; and Jonesboro, Garrett Gomez.

Jonesboro and Prom Shoes will tote 122 pounds, the rest 118.