Joseph Allen's Roar Emotion should have few excuses in Saturday's $100,000 Ladies Handicap (gr. III) for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles when she faces seven opponents. The 4-year-old filly exits tougher races and appears to possess a clear speed advantage.Roar Emotion got her season underway in promising fashion, winning twice at Gulfstream, including the Sabin Handicap (gr. III) on Feb. 15. Since heading north after last winter, however, she has been 0-for-8 since the Sabin.Many of Roar Emotion's 2004 starts came against tough fillies and mares like Daydreaming, Storm Flag Flying, Azeri and Sightseek. In her last start, the Top Flight (gr. II), Roar Emotion vied for the lead from the far turn home, but came up short against Daydreaming and stablemate Bending Strings."She's had some tough competition," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "She's the 119-pound high weight for this race. I hope the racing office is right in that she's the best horse in the race."McLaughlin did not say he definitely expected Roar Emotion to be on the lead, but she does look quicker on paper than anyone else."I was happy with her laying off the pace in her last couple of starts," McLaughlin said. "She doesn't need the lead."Another filly that butted heads with the elite of her division is Rudina Stable's Board Eligible, who scored an easy victory against New York-breds in the Montauk Nov. 28. Prior to that, she ran against males in the Empire Classic and faced grade I fillies in the Beldame and Personal Ensign.Board Eligible's Beldame and Personal Ensign tries were very good. She got beat less than seven lengths in both spots while finishing fourth. A victory in the Ladies Handicap would put her over $300,000 in earnings this year for trainer Jimmy Ferraro.
Board Eligible, who will have Pablo Fragoso aboard for the sixth straight race, is 5-for-14 this year with three seconds.In her second start off a five-month layoff, George Bolton's Rare Gift ran a strong second in the Anne Arundel (gr. III) at Pimlico, missing by a neck in an 11-horse field. That was the best race of her career, although she fared well in stakes earlier this year finishing third in the Black Eyed Susan and Bonnie Miss (both gr. II).Rendezvous Point, 2-for-2 on Lingfield's all-weather track in England, has shipped in for Augustin Stable and trainer John Gosden. The 3-year-old filly ran into Ouija Board in her second career start, the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, defeated 26 lengths by the future Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner. $100,000-added Ladies Handicap (gr. III), fillies & mares 3 & up, 1 1/4 miles
PP. HORSE, TRAINER, JOCKEY, WGT.
1. Nevermore, H. James Bond, Rafael Bejarano, 116
2. Board Eligible, James Ferraro, Pablo Fragoso, 117
3. Rare Gift, John Kimmel, Richard Migliore, 114
4. Point West, George Weaver, Victor Carrero, 114
5. Roar Emotion, Kiaran McLaughlin, Mike Luzzi, 119
6. Miss Fortunate, Bill Mott, Shaun Bridgmohan, 117
7. Rendezvous Point, John Gosden, Aaron Gryder, 113
8. French Hideaway, James Moloney, Fernando Jara, 112