BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Stakes-placed Arindel homebred Evolution looks for her first black-type victory Sunday when she faces six other 3-year-old fillies racing six furlongs in the $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Third last out in the $102,000 Sandpiper won by Sneaky Good going six furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 6, Evolution could prove more dangerous here than her 15-1 morning line odds suggest. Two starts back on Oct. 25, the chestnut daughter of Arindel stallion Brethren won an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming by nearly seven lengths over six furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Oct. 25.
Evolution also makes her first start for trainer John Ortiz and brings into the Mockingbird plenty of added-money experience having faced stakes fillies in four of her seven career races.
After winning her second start in a five-furlong maiden special weight for fillies at Gulfstream in May, Evolution ventured to Saratoga Race Course to finish sixth in the $150,000 Schuylerville won by Kingsolver on July 4. She then returned to Florida and came in seventh in the $75,000 Sharp Susan won by fellow Florida-bred Willow Case on Aug. 9. She improved when fourth in the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen won by Lennilu going six furlongs on Sept. 6 before breaking through to dominate the aforementioned optional claiming.
Evolution is out of Sweet Khaleesi, by Maimonides and has earned $121,807 from two wins with a second and a third.
She will be ridden from post two by Ricardo Santana Jr.
The Michael Maker-trained Woodstock and Wakuda from the Steve Asmussen barn are the only two stakes-winning fillies in the Mockingbird.
Woodstock, the 2-1 morning line favorite, won the $50,000 E.K. Gaylord at Remington Park in September but needs to improve off her last race when sixth in the $225,000 Fern Creek going six-and-a-half furlongs at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29.
She is by Yaupon and has won two of five lifetime starts with one third and earnings of $83,788 for Paradise Farms Corp, David Staudacher, Gata Racing Stable and Turman Racing Stable.
Francisco Arrieta will ride Woodstock from post seven.
Wakuda took the $100,000 Zia Princess Stakes at Zia Park in her last effort after breaking her maiden at Remington Park in September in her fifth career start.
Wakuda is by Simply Sovereign and has earned $138,088 for owner Winchell Thoroughbreds and will have Joel Rosario in the saddle when she departs post four. Wakuda is 7-2 in the program.
Rounding out the field are Knickleandime with Rafael Bejarano up, Prowess and jockey Ramon Vazquez, Walk Away Kaye has Alfredo Triana Jr. named to ride and Kelsi Harr has the assignment on Grace is Free.
Return to the January 3 issue of Wire to Wire
