Sharp Lisa tops Fantasy Field

SHARP LISA (Dixieland Band) heads a strong field of nine three-year-old

fillies set to run in Friday's $250,000 Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park. The

chestnut lass began the season with a 1 1/2-length score in the Santa Ynez S.

(G2) and followed that up with a narrow victory in the Las Virgenes S. (G1) last out. She will be making her first start at 1 1/16 miles

this year, a distance in which her best outing to date was a close second in the Alcibiades S. (G2)

in her second career start.

Sharp Lisa will run in the Fantasy

after scratching from last Saturday's Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland after she

apparently kicked her

stall, injuring her foot.

"We had to scratch from the Ashland because the filly hurt her left hind leg

when she kicked the side of the stall the day before," trainer Doug O'Neill

said. "She appears to be 100 percent now, so we decided to call an audible and go

to the Fantasy. Let's hope she runs like the Grade 1 filly she is."

In order to win her third consecutive victory of the year, however, Sharp

Lisa will have to face accomplished rivals CAPE HOPE (Cape Town) and JILL ROBIN

L (Precocity). Cape Hope is undefeated in her last four starts, all on the turf, including a

victory in the Herecomesthebride S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Jill Robin L exits

a close victory in the Bonnie Miss S. (G2).

The field, with riders and imposts, from the rail out is THE BETER MAN CAN (Lord

Avie), Elvis Perrodin, 117; Cape Hope, Calvin Borel, 121; RUGULA (Bernstein),

Greta Kuntzweiler, 121; ROUND POND (Awesome Again), Stewart Elliot, 121; YANKEE

PENNY (Quiet American), Jose Santos, 117; Jill Robin L, John McKee, 121; SHE

SINGS (Petionville), Jamie Theriot, 121; R LADY JOY (Vicar), Jose Lezcano, 121;

and Sharp Lisa, Garrett Gomez, 121.