The improving Will Then, one of the rising stars in the Southern California female turf division, trades in the Golden State for the Kentucky bluegrass when she starts in the May 2 $600,000 Edgewood Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs.
Friday's Edgewood, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for sophomore fillies and one of six graded stakes races on the undercard for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1), features not just Will Then but the formidable pair of Nitrogen and Vixen from the Mark Casse barn. The stablemates recently exerted their supremacy with a 1-2 finish in Keeneland's Appalachian Stakes (G2T) April 8.
Will Then, a homebred for Augustin Stables, makes her first start outside of California since breaking her maiden last October at Woodbine. The daughter of War of Will has since captured two stakes in a row for trainer Jonathan Thomas, including a last-out 1 1/2-length victory in the China Doll Stakes in her 3-year-old debut. All of her wins have occurred over the mile distance.
Umberto Rispoli retains the mount on Will Then. Rispoli and Thomas are 2-for-2 in stakes together over the past 45 days.
D. J. Stable's Nitrogen has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the Edgewood. Ever since suffering narrow defeats in last year's Natalma Stakes (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), the Medaglia d'Oro filly has been unstoppable in her three outings this year as a 3-year-old. Despite encountering traffic issues in each of her starts, Nitrogen's electrifying turn of foot has prevailed each time.
Regular rider Jose Ortiz will be back aboard the Casse filly as she bids for her fourth consecutive black-type score. Nitrogen and Vixen are the only two fillies in the field to boast multiple triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures.
Vixen, also owned by D. J. Stable in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, was 2-for-2 in stakes company this season before being defeated by Nitrogen in the Appalachian. The daughter of Vekoma ran gallantly to finish second with a late rally up the inside, and it would be no surprise to see her turn the tables on her stablemate. She has beaten Nitrogen once before, when finishing second, just ahead of Nitrogen in third, in the Natalma.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call.
Apart from the three top choices, the Brendan Walsh-trained Lush Lips has a strong chance of upsetting Friday's field. Since joining Walsh's barn this winter, the British-bred filly's form has been following a progressive upward slope, beginning with her seven-length maiden romp at Gulfstream Park in November. Lush Lips backed up that win with an encouraging allowance score before giving Nitrogen all she could handle when finishing a close second in the Florida Oaks (G3T).
Gowells Delight, a filly who's been on the Kentucky Oaks trail all season, will try the turf for the first time for trainer Kenny McPeek. She was a last-out third to Oaks favorite Good Cheer in the March 22 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).
