Alternation’s Serengeti Empress Wires the KY Oaks; Bellafina Fifth

[Wandering Eyes]

SERENGETI EMPRESS (f, 3, Alternation–Havisham, by Bernardini) wires the field for a 13-1 upset in the GI Kentucky Oaks Friday beneath the Twin Spires. Favored Bellafina (Quality Road) could only manage fifth. Taking up her preferred position at the head of affairs, the $70,000 KEESEP buy avoided early trouble as several horses collided going into the first turn, squeezing out Positive Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile), who then clipped heels and somersaulted, throwing rider Manny Franco. Both horse and rider got to their feet quickly and the filly was caught without interrupting the race and appeared fine upon initial exam. Clicking off early fractions of :23.25 and :46.65, Serengeti Empress continued to maintain a clear advantage over Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy) as three-quarters went up in 1:11.26. Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}) made a run at the pacesetter at the top of the stretch, but Serengeti Empress had more left in the tank and kept on finding to hold that rival at bay by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire. The final time was 1:50.17. Lady Apple (Curlin) completed the trifecta and Champagne Anyone (Street Sense) was fourth. Bellafina raced in mid-pack throughout and never made a serious run, finishing fifth. Dominating the GII Pocahontas S. over this strip by 19 1/2 lengths last September, Serengeti Empress faded to seventh behind subsequent champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) after stalking that pacesetting rival through the early stages in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 2. Returning to winning ways with front-running success in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds Feb. 16, she stopped halfway through the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 23, fading to last after setting the early pace, and was vanned off. Amoss announced she had bled in that event and she entered this off a best-of-30 five panels at Churchill in :58 1/5 Apr. 23, after which she scoped clean. Lifetime Record: 8-5-0-0.

O-Joel Politi; B-Tri Eques Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Tom Amoss.

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