Spoken Fur Looking for Filly Triple

When Spoken Fur takes the gate for Saturday's Alabama Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, the Bobby Frankel-trainee will be looking for more than her sixth consecutive win. She'll be looking to sweep the inaugural edition of the Triple Tiara and receive a $2-million bonus for owners John and Jerry Amerman.

"To tell you the truth, I knew nothing about the bonus until I came up to watch the Coaching Club. If she wins it then God Bless and if not then that's good too, " said John Amerman during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference Tuesday. "I am a very superstitious person, so I don't want to say too much about Spoken Fur. I will let her do the talking for me on Saturday."

Amerman privately purchased Spoken Fur following three consecutive wins, including a maiden win and back-to-back allowance scores, from her breeders Dr. Wilbur Johnston and George Smith.

"After the retirement of Lido Palace, I was talking with Bobby and saying that we didn't have any big fillies in the barn and he mentioned that he might have one I would be interested in purchasing," Amerman said. "After he went over the pedigree and some of her numbers, I said 'let's go for it' and the deal was closed in about three minutes.

A couple of days later and he called and said he wanted to run in the Mother Goose and I thought it was a little ambitious, but we went for it and she won. Sometimes you have to have a little luck involved."

Spoken Fur crushed the six-horse Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) field by five lengths then went on to score a three-length win in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I).

"I have to give a lot of credit to Austin Smith (previous trainer of Spoken Fur) and to Bobby for getting her where she is today," Amerman said.

Spoken Fur is expected to face a tough field in the Alabama. Other expected to start include Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Bird Town, Awesome Humor, Fircroft, Island Fashion, and City Fire.