Virginia Oaks

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

An evenly matched field of 10 sophomore fillies has been entered in the

Virginia Oaks (G3) at Colonial Downs on Saturday, and we're going with JULIA

TUTTLE (Giant's Causeway) to provide a slight upset under Horacio Karamanos. The

Ferris Allen III trainee has dominated her rivals in two starts over Colonial's

turf so far this meet. She broke her maiden by 10 1/4 lengths going the Oaks

distance of nine furlongs, then captured an allowance most recently by 4 1/4

lengths while leading gate-to-wire. Her numbers don't quite reflect the ease of

her wins, but they are still good enough to match against many of the starters

in this one. Julia Tuttle could make her stakes debut a winning one.

I LOST MY CHOO (Western Expression) appears to be the class of this field,

running third in the Appalachian S. (G3) and Sands Point S. (G2) prior to

winning the Elmont S. most recently. In her last race, the bay lass reverted to

the come-from-behind tactics that saw her break her maiden and take two

allowances in succession earlier this season. If the Philip Serpe charge utilizes

that same type of run here, she could add this one to her line. Edgar Prado has

the call.

CHEROKEE QUEEN (Cherokee Run) just missed in her career debut at Gulfstream

Park in late March, but broke her maiden in her second try on April 18 at

Keeneland. Trainer Graham Motion gave her a two-month break, but the dark bay

miss showed no signs of rustiness when capturing a Belmont Park allowance last

out in her return. Cherokee Queen has earned some nice numbers and worked a

sharp five furlongs in preparation for this, her stakes debut. If she continues

in the same form, the three-year-old will be in the mix at the wire.

ATHENA'S GIFT (Fusaichi Pegasus) has done very well on the green, just

missing by a head in her turf debut, then breaking her maiden two races later

and taking an allowance, both on the grass at Woodbine. She'll be shipping down

from that venue and has the ability to threaten for a spot in the gimmicks.

NAMASTE'S WISH (Pulpit) won the Miss Grillo S. over Belmont's turf last

September and was second in the Gaviola S. two back. She enters this one off a

fifth in the Boiling Springs S. (G3) and could improve her position this time

around with Kent Desormeaux picking up the mount.

MISS MAFIOSO (Alphabet Soup) has yet to win in two tries on the turf, but did

run a nice second in an allowance at Churchill in her grass bow on May 24. She

attempted a class hike last out in the Regret S. (G3), but was never in

contention and finished last of five. The bay filly will be dropping back down

to a more suitable level and could be competitive enough against these to pick

up a check. THREE GRACES (Doneraile Court) won a Canterbury Park stakes last out

and BORN TO BE (A.P. Indy) scored in an allowance at Delaware Park, but neither

appear to be quick enough to keep up with this field. NIJINSKY BALLET (Rahy)

finished behind Three Graces in that stakes event while CLARA'S SONG (Brahms)

couldn't keep up against allowance/optional claiming rivals in her most recent

race. We can't recommend either one.