Ashland Stakes 2024 Picks

By Jarrod Horak

The road to Kentucky Oaks 2024 continues at Keeneland on Friday, April 5, and I have included Ashland Stakes 2024 picks below. The Grade 1 event for 3-year-old fillies has a $600,000 purse and the eight entrants will be journeying 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Ashland Stakes is the 9th race on April 5 and the top five finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks points (100-50-25-15-10). 

Ashland Stakes 2024 Picks & Final Time Rating

Candied won the Grade 1 Alcibiades at this course and distance last fall, and closed from the inside post and was gaining on the top two finishers late in a clear show finish when last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Todd Pletcher is a solid layoff trainer and her winning rider Luis Saez has been clicking with this outfit recently. She will try to get involved from off the pace.  

Leslie’s Rose is a $1.15 million Into Mischief filly for Todd Pletcher. She attended slow splits and won her first two starts, and stalked and finished an even third as the beaten chalk in the Davona Dale last time. This is her first attempt around two turns and Irad Ortiz Jr. should have her in the thick of things from the outset. 

Just F Y I had an untimely fever and missed an intended start in the Davona Dale on March 2. The unbeaten 2-year-old champ sports back-to-back Payson Park bullets for this, and a stalking journey is anticipated. She won the Grade 1 Frizette in the slop last year, and stretched out to two turns, pressed strong fractions from the outside post, and held off Jody’s Pride by a neck when last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Bill Mott has her ready to go but this is just a prep for the Kentucky Oaks. She already has 40 Oaks points so a win is not absolutely necessary, but she needs a top three finish.

Impel makes her stakes debut in this spot for Brad Cox. The daughter of Quality Road is bred and owned by Juddmonte, and she was strong in both career starts. She pressed outside and scored by 3 1/4 lengths in her six panel bow at Fair Grounds on Jan. 1, and the clear runner-up was a next-out winner. She stretched out at Oaklawn on March 3, and she chased from second, took over, and won by 8 1/2 lengths as the favorite. She reconnects with her debut pilot Florent Geroux and should be all over the pace. 

Jody’s Pride is 3-for-3 around one turn, and she missed by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles. She was solid in the slop as the favorite in her Busher Stakes return, and she reconnects with Flavien Prat and projects an outside stalking trip. 

The Ashland Stakes field also includes Standoutsensation, Halina’s Forte, and Shimmering Allure.   

Ashland Stakes 2024 Picks

The Ashland Stakes is my 28th video on the road to Kentucky Oaks 2024, and my top choices have five wins, eight runner-up finishes, and five show finishes. I will cover each points race on the Kentucky Oaks trail. Check out my Ashland Stakes 2024 picks video below.