And Why Not could make seasonal bow in Gulfstream Park Oaks

Trainer Michael Matz, who is preparing Union Rags to headline the Grade 1, $1

million Florida Derby on March 31, has a potential starter for the Grade 2,

$300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks in And Why Not.

"And Why Not may be running in the Oaks here or an allowance race the week

after on the grass," Matz said. "But I definitely want to try and get her to the

(Grade 1 Kentucky) Oaks. I think she's that type of filly and I think the

distance would be perfect for her."

The three-year-old daughter of Street Cry hasn't raced since finishing second

in the Grade 2 Pocahontas last October 30 at Churchill Downs, where she closed

strongly from 11th in the 12-horse field with a seven-wide move to get within

three-quarters of a length of On Fire Baby at the finish.

"She was a very late foal, so we wanted to give her time to mature. She's

quite a big horse," Matz said.

And Why Not made a striking debut at Saratoga last August to win by 5 1/2

lengths with a strong late run. Following a troubled start from her rail post

position in the Grade 1 Spinaway, Helen Groves' homebred recovered to finish

third behind Grace Hall, a leading Gulfstream Oaks candidate. Her only

off-the-board finish came over Keeneland's Polytrack with a sixth in the Grade 1

Alcibiades, in which she was rank early. She rebounded with her sharp effort in

the Pocahontas.

Matz is also preparing another highly regarded three-year-old filly for her

2012 debut. Somali Lemonade, who won her first two races last year in impressive

fashion, hasn't been to the starting gate since running in the Breeders' Cup

Juvenile Fillies Turf, in which she endured a rough trip from the No. 14 post

position to finish sixth.

"She's going to run April 19 in the (Grade 3) Appalachian Stakes at

Keeneland. "She's doing real good," Matz said. "We really don't have an agenda

for her. She's starting a little late there, and hopefully we'll have a nice

season with her."

Somali Lemonade debuted with a late-running 1 3/4-length victory in a

seven-furlong turf maiden special weight at Belmont Park in September. The

daughter of Lemon Drop Kid came right back a month later to capture the Grade 3

Jessamine at Keeneland in October with a last-to-first 1 1/16-mile score.

It took Matz a little longer to get Anunciata to the winner's circle, but the

Peru champion import scored her first victory in four U.S. starts last week at

Gulfstream. The six-year-old daughter of Apprentice posted a game front-running

allowance win in her first start ever on turf.

"I think they really need a little time to come around. She's a nice mare who

has won a lot of races. We just could not get her the right races for her with

enough distance," said Matz, whose mare had been off the board in her first

three races in the U.S., including two over Gulfstream's main track.

Anunciata had won nine of 17 races in Peru.

"I think she can handle both (dirt and turf). That was the only race I could

find that was at least a mile and an eighth, so we decided to try her there,"

Matz said. "Actually, she did not work great on the turf, but she worked well

enough to win that race. At the head of the lane I thought they were going to

swallow her up, but she dug in."