Sharing a Star Attraction on Kentucky Oaks Undercard
By Byron King
The Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) won’t be the only race at Churchill Downs next week to showcase a leading 3-year-old filly. Sharing, winner of last year’s Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, is scheduled to run on the Oaks undercard in the Edgewood Stakes presented by Forcht Bank (G2T), trainer Graham Motion said.
The Edgewood is a one-mile turf race with a $300,000 purse, one of six stakes next Friday afternoon at Churchill during the track’s Derby Week that culminates with the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). The entire week was postponed this year from the spring due to COVID-19, and will be conducted without spectators.
Jockey Manny Franco, in town to ride Tiz the Law in the Derby, will return aboard the 3-year-old Speightstown filly, Motion said.
Second in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in her last start June 20, Sharing had initially been pointed to the Aug. 22 Del Mar Oaks (G1T) in California, but the trainer changed her summer plans.
“We went into a little phase where she got a little footsore, which is something we’ve dealt with her before. So I probably could have made Del Mar but I kind of felt like we would be pressing a little bit,” he said. “Throwing in the complications of getting there in the year of COVID, everything made sense to send her to Churchill, where we have Manny to ride. He’s ridden her before and it’s on a turf course she won on before and handled.”
The Churchill victory came in her first start of the year when she captured the May 23 Tepin Stakes. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable, Sharing has recorded three domestic stakes victories. Besides the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Tepin, she won the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park last September.
The $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana Farm (G1T) at Keeneland Oct. 10 could follow the Edgewood this fall.
“Hopefully this sets you up to do that, all being well, obviously,” Motion said.