PRAIRIE MEADOWS Sassy Sienna faces She’s a Julie

Sassy Sienna exits the Kentucky Oaks and might be the horse to beat in the Grade 3, $200,000 Iowa Oaks.

She’s a Julie exits an allowance race and might be the horse to bet in the Iowa Oaks.

Ten were entered, but no more than nine will start in the 1 1/16mile Oaks, the centerpiece of a three-stakes Thursday night card at Prairie Meadows, which has trimmed the annual Iowa Festival of Racing to just two cards this year. The Saylorville and the Iowa Distaff support the Oaks, with the Cornhusker, Iowa Derby, and Iowa Sprint carded for Friday night.

Rayya, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, won’t run in the Oaks. Trainer Bob Baffert said neither she nor Cornhusker entrant Dr. Dorr is shipping from California.

The Oaks (race 8, 9:28 p.m. Central) remains a solid, playable race with an array of horses who recently raced at a wide range of venues and class levels.

KEY CONTENDERS

She’s a Julie, by Elusive Quality Last 3 Beyers: 82-88-82

◗ Trainer Steve Asmussen thought enough of the filly to throw her into the Rachel Alexandra Stakes and the Fair Grounds Oaks last winter and spring, despite She’s a Julie being eligible for a first-level allowance race.

◗ Has changed her running style from earlier this year, when she was coming from well off the pace, to show speed in her last three races, last out in particular.

“I was wrong about her early in the year,” Asmussen said. “She stumbled away from there first time out and came home well behind a slow pace. She’s a big horse, and that’s what I thought she wanted to do.”

◗ Finally got her second win in her seventh start last out when capturing a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs while cutting back from two turns to a one-turn mile. But Asmussen said he ran She’s a Julie in that spot strictly as a stepping-stone to the Iowa Oaks.

“I think she’s better at two turns, that she prefers the rhythm of that kind of race,” Asmussen said.

Sassy Siena, by Midshipman Last 3 Beyers: 79-82-79

◗ Exits a two-month freshening since contesting the pace before fading to sixth, beaten almost 12 lengths, in the Kentucky Oaks. The break should do the filly good.

“This is the first time she’s ever had good space between races,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I’m excited about her. She’s been working very, very well coming into this.”

◗ Beat Wonder Gadot, the Kentucky Oaks runner-up and last weekend’s Queen’s Plate winner, in capturing the Fantasy Stakes on April 13 at Oaklawn.

“I thought she ran a really creditable race in the Oaks,” Cox said. “We were asking a lot of her coming back in three weeks off such a big effort at Oaklawn.”

Hold Her Tight, by Proud Citizen Last 3 Beyers: 80-73-75

◗ Ran gamely to finish second, beaten a neck, in the Panthers Stakes, the local prep for the Iowa Oaks and her two-turn debut.

“She ran her lifetime-best number. I don’t know if it was the distance or her getting better, but I think it’s a little bit of both,” trainer Larry Jones said. “More distance is not a worry to us. I think she can improve.”

Cosmic Burst, by Violence Last 3 Beyers: 75-84-72

◗ Fourth in the Fantasy but beat Sassy Siena in the Grade 3 Honeybee earlier this year.