Dothraki Queen ‘possible’ for Fantasy; Marquee Miss headed to Kentucky

Edited Press Release

Trainer Kenny McPeek said Thursday morning that Grade 2 heroine Dothraki Queen remains “possible” for the $400,000 Fantasy (G3) sending three-year-old fillies 1 1/16 miles on April 9 at Oaklawn Park.

Unraced since placing third in the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs last November 28, Dothraki Queen has had six published workouts at Oaklawn since mid-February, including a half-mile move in :48.60 Monday morning.

“She’s just not quite ready yet,” McPeek said. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get a race in her here or not.”

Dothraki Queen won her first two career starts, including the September 12 Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill, before running second in the Alcibiades (G1) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), both at Keeneland.

If Dothraki Queen does make the Fantasy, she won’t face dual Oaklawn stakes winner Marquee Miss.

Trainer Ingrid Mason reported Thursday morning that Marquee Miss and Grade 2 victress Sarah Sis are being pointed for stakes races in Kentucky.

Mason said Marquee Miss will run in the $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks (G3) sending sophomores fillies one mile over Turfway Park’s synthetic Polytrack on April 2. The Cowboy Cal filly won Oaklawn’s Dixie Belle and Martha Washington stakes before being distanced in the Honeybee (G3) last out on March 12.

Marquee Miss didn’t handle the sloppy track in the Honeybee, according to Mason, who had considered running her charge in the Fantasy before opting for the Bourbonette Oaks.

“This way, I don’t have to worry about the rain,” Mason said with a laugh. “I think it’s going to be much easier. I think the Fantasy is going to be real tough.”

Mason said Sarah Sis is pointing for the $300,000 Madison (G1) on April 9 at Keeneland. The four-year-old filly will be cutting back to seven furlongs in that contest after finishing fifth in last Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Azeri (G2) at Oaklawn.

“I think she can go around two turns, a mile,” Mason said. “I think a mile and a sixteenth is too far, depending on how much speed is in the race.”

Sarah Sis won Oaklawn’s Honeybee last year before closing her three-year-old campaign with a victory in the October 17 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland. The Raven Run was seven furlongs, which Mason said she believes is the ideal distance for Sarah Sis.

Mason said Sarah Sis’ year-end goal is the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), a seven-furlong race scheduled for November 5 at Santa Anita.

Dothraki Queen photo courtesy of Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Marquee Miss photo courtesy of Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography