Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) runner-up Fiftyshadesofgold will be pointed to the $175,000 Eight Belles Stakes (gr. III) Friday, May 2 at Churchill Downs instead of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
Dennis "Peaches" Geier, assistant to trainer Bret Calhoun, told Churchill Downs the daughter of My Golden Song will opt for the Eight Belles, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies on Friday's Oaks undercard.
Fiftyshadesofgold's two stakes wins have come in sprints. She won last year's six-furlong Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs and she opened this season with a clear victory in the seven-furlong Two Altazano Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park.
Fiftyshadesofgold finished second, 7 3/4 lengths behind likely Kentucky Oaks favorite Untapable, in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks March 29.
Out of the winning Hadif mare Hadif Cat, Fiftyshadesofgold was bred in Texas by the late Clarence Scharbauer Jr. and races for his estate.
