'Empress' Seeks Repeat Win in NOLA

Serengeti Empress | Sarah Andrew

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Serengeti Empress (Alternation) ran the field off their feet in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 16 and she looks to repeat that impressive score in New Orleans Saturday in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. A stunning 19 1/2-length victress of Churchill Downs's GII Pocahontas S. in September, the dark bay finished seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies back in Louisville Nov. 2. She returned to winning ways in her sophomore bow in NOLA, taking the Rachel Alexandra field from gate-to-wire for a 4 1/2-length triumph and appears to have a strong chance to repeat here over the same track and trip.

Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}), Eres Tu (Malibu Moon) and Street Band (Istan), the second, third and fourth-place finishers from the Rachel Alexandra, also return in this spot. Liora, winner of a sloppy renewal of Churchill's GII Golden Rod S. last fall, adds blinkers for this test, and Eres Tu gets a new rider in Jose Ortiz.

Slewgoodtobetrue (Jimmy Creed) is a new face in New Orleans and will be trying stakes company for the first time Saturday. Runner-up in her first two attempts sprinting at Del Mar this fall, the Peter Eurton trainee graduated by four lengths when extended to a mile at Santa Anita Jan. 10. She made it two in a row with an optional claimer victory going a 1 1/16 miles in the slop in Arcadia Feb. 3.

 

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