Decelerator heads Martha Washington field

DECELERATOR (Dehere) found herself in the spotlight last year as she jumped

up from a debut maiden win to take the Debutante S. (G3) in only her second

career start. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee failed to live up to the hype, though,

going unplaced in her next three, but will try to get back on a winning track in

Saturday's $75,000

Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park.

The one-mile test was dominated last season by eventual Horse of the Year

Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro), who would go on to capture the Fair Grounds

Oaks (G2) and Fantasy S. (G2) en route to a record-setting performance in the

Kentucky Oaks (G1). While no one is expecting Decelerator to turn into another

Rachel Alexandra, a good performance in the Martha Washington could see the dark bay

lass making her way to the April 30 Kentucky Oaks back at Churchill Downs, where

her initial two scores took place.

Decelerator ended 2009 under the Twin Spires, running second in the

Pocahontas S. (G3) and Golden Rod S. (G2), and made her seasonal bow a nose

runner-up effort in the Dixie Belle S. at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, venue.

Terry Thompson has been aboard for the three-year-old's last two starts, and

retains the mount this time around.