Rainbow View exudes class in Keeneland allowance

Rainbow View's victory lifted her into the millionaires' club with $1,029,445

in earnings from her 13-6-2-1 record. Formerly based in England with John Gosden,

she was undefeated during her championship campaign at two, capturing the

Fillies' Mile (Eng-G1), May Hill S. (Eng-G2) and Sweet Solera S. (Eng-G3).

Things did not fall into place as readily for Rainbow View last season. After

suffering her first loss when fifth in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), she

met with interference en route to her fourth-place effort in the Oaks (Eng-G1),

and she endured traffic trouble when third in the Coronation S. (Eng-G1).

Rainbow View then finished fourth to Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) in the Falmouth

S. (Eng-G1) and runner-up to Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream [Ire]) in the Nassau S.

(Eng-G1), but finally regained the winning thread when defeating older

distaffers in the Matron S. (Ire-G1). That turned out to be her final European

start, for she concluded 2009 with a pair of unsuccessful efforts in North

America. Runner-up in the E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1) at Woodbine, she checked in

fifth in the November 6 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) on the Pro-Ride at

Santa Anita. In the aftermath of the Breeders' Cup, Rainbow View was transferred

to Sheppard with a view toward a North American campaign at four.

Sheppard was asked Friday if he thought that Rainbow View might have

thickened up a little bit over the winter.

"Yes, I think she has, a little bit," the Hall of Famer said, adding that he

had gotten her "at the tail end of a busy campaign."

Sheppard also responded to a question regarding Rainbow View's temperament,

for the filly had been known to be rather willful, if not outright fiery, in her

European days. He has already seen evidence of her unique personality.

"Mainly when she comes off the track," Sheppard said, describing how she

tends to jump up in a display of high-spiritedness after exercise.

Sheppard has not pinpointed the next objective for Rainbow View, but "just

wanted to get past this race" first before deciding. He underscored that there

are "lots of options," and that they're "not sure what her best distance is

yet."

One thing is clear, however: Rainbow View will follow a different itinerary

from fellow Augustin colorbearer and stablemate Fantasia (GB) (Sadler's Wells).

Owner George Strawbridge Jr. had kept his two star fillies apart last season in

Europe, and that policy will continue now that both are in the United States.

Sheppard indicated that Fantasia, a rallying runner-up in her U.S. bow at

Keeneland Sunday, will aim for the May 1 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2). That

race would have come up too soon for Rainbow View in any event, and she could

reappear in the latter part of May or the first weekend in June.