Amy Gregory
Keeneland Association

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Reigning champion juvenile filly She Be Wild, and Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) winner Blind Luck headline a talented group of 109 three-year-old fillies nominated to Keeneland’s $400,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1), slated for Saturday, April 3.

Nancy Mazzoni’s She Be Wild and Blind Luck, owned by Mark DeDomenico, John Carver and Jerry Hollendorfer, were co-highweighted fillies at 123 pounds on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap.

At two, She Be Wild recorded four wins in five starts during a championship season that saw victories in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) and Top Flight Stakes, for earnings of more than $1.3 million. She finished second by a half-length to fellow Ashland nominee Negligee in Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades (G1).

Blind Luck stamped herself as the early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) when she rallied from last to first to win Santa Anita’s Grade 1 Las Virgenes by a nose over Evening Jewel, also nominated to the Ashland. The Pollard’s Vision filly has now recorded five wins in seven career starts, including last year’s Oak Leaf (G1) and Hollywood Starlet (G1).

Other prominent fillies nominated to the Central Bank Ashland are Bill Martin’s Jody Slew, Mark Stanley’s Quiet Temper, and Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Age of Humor, who finished 1-2-3 in the recent Silverbulletday (G3); Lori and George Hall’s Bickersons, winner of the Forward Gal; Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, winner of the Golden Rod (G2) and Pocahontas (G3); Westrock Stables’ Decelerator, winner of the Debutante (G3) and Martha Washington; and Brereton Jones’ Sovereign Award winner Biofuel.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Central Bank Ashland is a premier prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Since 1936, 31 fillies have used the Ashland as a steppingstone to victory in the Oaks. In 2008, Proud Spell rebounded to win the Oaks off a third-place finish in the Ashland. Ashland winner, Little Belle, ran second by ¾ of a length in the Oaks.

A complete list of nominations to the 73rd running of the Central Bank Ashland is available at Keeneland.com.