Impel pegged as 2-1 favorite vs Just F Y I, Candied in eight-horse Ashland

Apr 03, 2024 James Scully

The top three from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), including champion Just F Y I, will meet again in Friday’s $600,000 Ashland (G1), but Impel has been installed as the 2-1 favorite in her first stakes appearance. A total of eight fillies are entered for the 1 1/16-mile test on Keeneland’s opening-day program.

The Ashland serves as a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, offering the top five points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

Impel has little margin for error in her third career start, needing at least a runner-up finish to likely qualify for the 150th running of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 3. The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Quality Road has opened her racing career with a pair of smashing performances, displaying early speed breaking her maiden by nearly four lengths at Fair Grounds and rolling to a 9 1/2-length score over entry-level allowance foes at Oaklawn Park at two turns, and Florent Geroux will be up on the Juddmonte homebred.

Just F Y I comes next on the morning line at 3-1 in her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita in early November. A convincing winner of the Frizette (G1) two back, the Justify filly is perfect from three starts for Bill Mott, and the George Krikorian homebred retains the services of Junior Alvarado.

Congrats to Just F Y I on winning the @BreedersCup Juvenile Fillies! https://t.co/3gHJkbCGEg

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 3, 2023

A neck second in the Juvenile Fillies, Jody’s Pride will make her second start of the year after a convincing win in the March 2 Busher at Aqueduct. Jorge Abreu trains the daughter of American Pharoah, and Jody’s Pride is listed at 8-1 with Flavien Prat.

Candied has shown an affinity for Keeneland, recording a one-length victory in the Alcibiades (G1) last October, and the Todd Pletcher trainee will look to make amends for her first setback, a close third in the Juvenile Fillies, while returning from a six-month layoff in the Ashland. Luis Saez has the call on the Candy Ride filly.

Pletcher has another contender in Leslie’s Rose, who exits a third as the favorite in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream. Bred to relish longer distances, the once-beaten filly will stretch to two turns with Irad Ortiz Jr.

Other runners include Halina’s Forte, who will step up in class for her first graded attempt following a rallying 1 3/4-length win in the Feb. 17 Ruthless S. at Aqueduct; and stakes winner Shimmering Allure, who will seek to rebound from a well-beaten third in the Jan. 13 Busanda S. at Aqueduct.