After starting 2-for-2, including a stakes score, Dazzling Dame has "earned her shot" in the Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs on Saturday, trainer Brittany Russell said. The one-mile race is the first points qualifier on the road to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, offering 10 qualifying points to the winner.
"She's kind of done everything right," Russell told Horse Racing Nation on Thursday. "Nothing wrong to this point. She's training well, and we're excited to run her."
Dazzling Dame won her first start, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint at Laurel Park, by 5 3/4 lengths over three rivals. She returned going a mile in the black-type Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park, where she led at every call to win by two lengths. Jevian Toledo was her rider for both starts.
Luis Saez will be her jockey Saturday for the Pocahontas, and Russell expects a fast start.
"When she went the mile, she obviously showed speed coming off the sprint," she said. "I think going long, she's going to jump out of there and be on the engine. So it's going to be up to Luis. You've got a couple horses coming out of sprints and things. So you just kind of have to see how it sets up and leave it in his hands."
The Girvin filly is "really classy, very forward," Russell said. "She's a big good-doing type filly. She's pretty uncomplicated."
Dazzling Dame is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line for the Pocahontas. The second choice, at 7-2, is Miss Complicated, who is 0-for-2 after finishing third and then second in maiden special weights at five and six furlongs.
Russell, who has been in Lexington this week for the Keeneland September yearling sale, said a next start has not been determined for Post Time, her only millionaire.
The 5-year-old son of Frosted has been on a win-lose pattern, winning three ungraded races at Laurel Park alternating with a third-place finish in the Blame (G3) and a sixth-place finish in the Whitney (G1). He also won the Carter (G2) last year and rallied to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
The Whitney was Post Time's only out-of-the-money finish in 20 career starts.
"If you look at you look at the race, you look at what he was in against and how the number came back, I kind of think he just ran his race and was (sixth) best out there. You can't really take anything away from him," Russell said.
“It's just the division, right? The division's really tough. I mean, yeah, it was a good group of horses last year, but he was fitting in at the time. We've just had a little different type of year, and the goal was kind of to come back home, get him some confidence just like we did last year. But we always had the Breeders' Cup kind of on our mind last year, and I think this year we're going to keep him closer to home.”
Russell said she and owner Ellen Charles of Hillwood Stable have discussed options. “There's plenty of good spots and money for him to make. And the goal is we want to keep him healthy and running and having fun with him."
