Ashland Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes is on tap for Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky this Saturday, April 5. Three year old fillies will takes to Keeneland's synthetic track and go 1 1/16 miles searching for the winner's portion of the very nice $500,000 purse.

The Ashland Stakes has attracted a full field of 13 three years old fillies to go in race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday card. Post time is 5:22 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 13 combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.

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2014 Ashland Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Testa Rossi - French bred Chad Brown trained filly has just three starts in North America and had good results - the best coming last time out - over Istanford in a win in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks March 8. This after a come from behind win in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont Park October 6 and a good second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Before shipping she had three straight wins at home. Testa Rossi now has five wins and two second place finishes in eight career starts with five wins and a second in her last six overall. She looks like the one to beat Saturday and will have Jose Lezcano in the saddle from post 6.

Room Service - the only other graded stakes winner in the field most recently recorded a career best effort - a win over Candy Kitty and Seeking Her Glory in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream March 2 after she finished an OK third in the minor Sweetest Chant Stakes for trainer Wayne Catalano and had a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming December 13. She broke maiden at first calling in September at Kentucky Downs and followed that with a third in an Allowance at Churchill Downs October 27. Room Service has placed in all five career starts and should be a factor Sunday. Shaun Bridgmohan gets the call from gate 2 Saturday.

Ashland Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Rosalind - Kenneth McPeek trained filly has placed in five of six career starts including a good third after rallying from 16 lengths back and almost getting in for second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, a second in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland October 4, a good third in the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes September 7 at Churchill Downs and a win in her debut in a MSW in August. She is coming off a third behind In Tune in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream February 27 after her only off-the-board finish - the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park December 7. She has already had a good result on this track and could be a factor this week as well. Joel Rosario will ride from gate 8.

Istanford - broke maiden in her debut in August for trainer Michael Stidham and went on to a fifth in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes in September. Istanford followed that result with an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Fair Grounds December 19 but recently fell back to earth with another fifth in the minor Silverbullerday Stakes January 18. Last time out was a career best performance - a second behind Testa Rossi in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs March 8. She hopes to continue her upward trend Saturday with Joe Rocco in the saddle from the rail.

Seeking Her Glory - steadily improving Todd Pletcher trained filly finally broke maiden in her sixth career start -on this track February 9 and most recently finished a good third in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 2. This after a pair of seconds in MSW action - one of those coming behind Hardly November 17. She finished off the board in her first three career starts but has certainly been trending upward ahead of this weekend. She starts from post 12 with Rosie Napravnik aboard.

Ashland Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Resistivity - had a third in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream January 25 after breaking maiden in her third career start also on that track. Last time out she returned to the winner's circle for trainer Mark Casse - an Allowance Optional Claiming score also at Gulfstream March 15. She has two wins, a second and a third place finish in five career starts and should be competitive as usual Saturday. Shawn Elliot has the mount from the outside post.

Thank You Marylou - has been good so far in her three race career for trainer Michael Maker - two wins and a second place finish. She debuted in July with a nice win in the minor Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs and followed that with a very respectable second in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga in August. After seven months away she recently returned to action with a win in the minor Ant Limit Stakes at Gulfstream March 9. Julien Leparoux gets the call from post 5.

On the Backstreets - trainer Peter Miller sends out On the Backstreets who has three wins in six career starts - two wins in three starts this year. Last time out was a fourth in the minor China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita March 3 after two wins on that track earlier this year - the minor Sweet Life Stakes February 15 and an Allowance Optional Claiming January 19. She broke maiden in her debut in May and has off-the-board finishes in two minor stakes starts before the two race win streak.

Macaroon - will race for the sixth time for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and enters on a two race win streak - the only two on-the-board finishes of her career. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream January 11 after breaking maiden in her fourth career start - at Belmont Park in October. Prior to the wins were a sixth, an eighth and a fifth respectively in MSW races. Luis Saez will be aboard from gate 3.

Saturday Bliss - George Weaver trained filly makes her stakes debut Saturday having won both of her career starts. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Keeneland Race Course March 3 after breaking maiden in her debut January 25.

Candy Kitten - British bred filly makes her North American debut Saturday after 11 starts at home produced just one win, four seconds and two third place finishes. She has placed in four of her last five starts overall however - a win in October, a third last time out and a pair of seconds this winter at Wolverhampton.

Miss Besilu - legendary trainer Bill Mott sends out Miss Besilu off a terrible eleventh in her graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs March 8. She has two wins in five career starts including an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream February 8 and before that had an OK second in the minor Ginger Brew Stakes also at Gulfstream - January 5. Miss Besilu makes her Keeneland debut Saturday having placed in three of five career starts.

Ireland - D. Wayne Lukas trained filly has eight career starts with just one win and a third place finish - the win coming three back in a MSW at Oaklawn Park January 17. She made her graded stakes debut last time out and finished eighth in the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park March 8 after an OK third in her stakes debut - the minor Martha Washington Sakes on that same track February 1.


2014 Ashland Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:22 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Istanford J. Rocco, Jr. M. Stidham
15-1
2 Room Service S. Bridgmohan W. Catalano
9-2
3 Macaroon L. Saez K. McLaughlin
15-1
4 On the Backstreets R. Albarado P. Miller
15-1
5 Thank You Marylou J. Leparoux M. Maker
5-1
6 Testa Rossi (FR) J. Lezcano C. Brown
3-1
7 Miss Besilu C. Lanerie W. Mott
15-1
8 Rosalind J. Rosario K. McPeek
15-1
9 Candy Kitty E. Prado T. Pletcher
9-2
10 Ireland J. Graham D. Lukas
30-1
11 Saturday Bliss C. DeCarlo G. Weaver
20-1
12 Seeking Her Glory R. Napravnik T. Pletcher
12-1
13 Resistivity S. Elliott M. Casse
10-1