Peace and War needs to win Ashland battle while Santa Anita Oaks comes up grassy

Saturday’s $500,000 Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland is do or die time for Peace and War (War Front).

The Olly Stevens trainee currently has 10 points toward a starting berth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and needs both the points and race to ready for that May 1 contest at Churchill Downs.

Peace and War actually made her last start, and U.S. debut, at Keeneland during the fall meet. On that occasion the bay filly took the Alcibiades S. (G1) by a half-length on a wet-fast surface. Those same conditions might pop up again on Saturday with all the rain Central Kentucky has been drenched with over the past couple days.

Regardless, Peace and War faces a tough task in coming back from a more than six-month break. She faces only six rivals in the Ashland, but all but one have two starts already in 2015.

The only filly with just one start this season is Angela Renee (Bernardini), and she’s eligible to move forward in this spot in her second sophomore try. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the bay lass captured the Chandelier S. (G1) last year at Santa Anita Park, but proceeded to be beat by double-digit lengths in her final two of the season, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Demoiselle S. (G2)

Angela Renee returned off that latter event in late November to finish fourth in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) by 2 3/4 lengths on February 21. She earned a nice 93 BRIS Speed rating for the effort, which saw her miss second by only a head and a neck when the wire came too soon for her game rally down the center of the track.