Fleur de Lis

OONAGH MACCOOL (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway) looks to be the class of Saturday’s
$300,000 Fleur de Lis H. (G2) and we can’t pick against the talented
four-year-old in the nine-furlong test. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the lass has
dropped just one start from six career starts, running sixth on yielding turf
when making her U.S. debut in the Soaring Softly S. Immediately switched to the
main track, Oonagh Maccool took to the dirt like a duck to water, winning the
allowance/optional claimer by eight lengths. Making her U.S. stakes debut in the
Rampart H. (G2), she earned a 105 BRIS Speed rating for her 2 1/2-length score in
that one before taking the Louisville Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) last out by 3 1/4
lengths. The chestnut filly has garnered triple digit BRIS Late Pace ratings for
her past three and could easily add another win to her resume on Saturday under
Rafael Bejarano.

HAPPY TICKET (Anet) has more experience than the lightly raced Oonagh Maccool,
as well as more wins during her career, and will be trying to break a two-race
runner-up streak. The bay mare captured the Louisiana Premier Night Distaff S.
by 5 1/2 lengths in her five-year-old bow three back, then finished a close second in her next two — the Azeri Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) and Apple Blossom H. (G1).
Trained by Andrew Leggio Jr., Happy Ticket earned a 109 Speed rating for her
Apple Blossom effort, and it could be a case of experience over age in this one.
Julien Leparoux has the call.

LA REASON (Labeeb [GB]) will be making just her second start for Pletcher
here, after running second to our top pick in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup last
out. She was third in the Apple Blossom and fourth in the Azeri Breeders’ Cup,
and will be looking to turn the tables on her two rivals in this one. The
six-year-old bay doesn’t own quite the same numbers as our top two choices, but
the mare has shown much better Speed figures in her past three and could
offer a challenge with a career-best run. Garrett Gomez will be in the irons.

GALLANT SECRET (Menifee) is a tough competitor in the stakes ranks, but looks
a bit overmatched against this field. She was a distant third in the Louisville
Breeders’ Cup after scoring easy wins in an allowance and the Fairway Fun S.,
which is her only stakes victory to date. Nonetheless, the James Jackson charge
could be a threat in the top three so consider for the exotics.

CHARACTER BUILDER (Coronado’s Quest) was well back in sixth in the Fairway
Fun and might find this bunch too much at this time. SOUL SEARCH (A.P. Indy)
doesn’t appear fast enough to challenge here.