Simply Ravishing Heads Churchill’s Golden Rod

[Wandering Eyes]

A winner of her first three career starts, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables’ Simply Ravishing (Laoban) found Vequist (Nyquist) too tough in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland, but will attempt to return to the top spot in Saturday’s GII Golden Rod S. A debut winner for Ken McPeek going 8 1/2 furlongs over the Saratoga turf Aug. 2, the bay aired by 6 1/2 lengths in an off-turf renewal of the PG Johnson S. Sept. 3. Sent off the 2-1 second choice for the Oct. 2 GI Darley Alcibiades S., the New York-bred dismantled her opposition, rolling home a front-running 6 1/4-length winner. Sent off the second choice in the Nov. 6 Juvenile Fillies, Simply Ravishing ran an even fourth.

“I thought she ran a great race considering how it shaped up early,” McPeek explained. “She didn’t break well at all and had a tough trip the entire way around there. I think it was very promising the way she finished up considering the problems she had.”

Kueber Racing LLC’s Coach (Commissioner) will try to remain undefeated following a trio of victories, including her most recent in Churchill’s Rags to Riches S. Oct. 25. Coach kicked off her career with a pair of Indiana scores, including a 9 1/4-length romp in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance Sept. 15.

“Distance definitely doesn’t seem to be an issue with her,” affirmed trainer Brad Cox. “She loved the extra ground in the Rags to Riches and this race made the most sense for her next start.”

Also carrying the Cox banner is OXO Equine LLC’s Travel Column (Frosted), who earned TDN Rising Star billing following a confident win in a six-furlong Churchill maiden Sept. 4. The grey finished a well-beaten third in the Alcibiades.

“I don’t think the track necessarily played into her favor that day,” explained Cox. “She broke a little slow and couldn’t really make up much ground with the pace. She’s a high-quality filly by Frosted and has trained forwardly out of the race.”

Steven Asmussen packs a one-two punch led by Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Clairiere (Curlin), a first out winner over this track and distance Oct. 25.  The filly is out of Cavorting (Bernardini), a winner of six graded races, including a trio at the highest level, for Stonestreet and Kiaran McLaughlin. Asmussen also saddles two-time winner Lady Lilly (Nyquist), third two-back in the Sept. 6 GI Spinaway S.

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