Charles Cella may operate Oaklawn Park, but one could argue it is Stonestreet Stables' homebred Terra Promessa that owns the Hot Springs, Ark., oval.
Unbeaten in five starts at the Arkansas track, Terra Promessa puts her status as the house horse on the line against six challengers in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) going 1 1/16 miles March 18.
Outside of her maiden win at Churchill Downs in November of 2015, all of Terra Promessa's wins have come in Arkansas, including her most recent triumph in the Feb. 18 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), when she bested fellow Azeri entrant Power of Snunner in front-running fashion. The 4-year-old Curlin filly also captured the 2016 Honeybee (G3) and Fantasy Stakes (G3) over the Oaklawn surface and opened her 2017 campaign with a gate-to-wire victory in the Pippin Stakes.
SHEA: Terra Promessa Goes Gate to Wire in Bayakoa
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Terra Promessa has finished worse than third just twice in nine starts and has earnings of $615,600.
Among those trying to knock Terra Promessa off her home game will be fellow graded stakes winner Eskenformoney. The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Eskendereya captured the Rampart Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 17 to close out her 4-year-old campaign but was a well-beaten third during her seasonal bow in the Feb. 18 Royal Delta Stakes (G2).
SHEA: Eskenformoney Digs Deep to Win Rampart
Stakes winner Streamline has been an honest performer for trainer Brian Williamson, finishing worse than third one time in 16 starts. The daughter of Straight Line ran third in last year's edition of the Azeri and came home in that same position behind Terra Promessa in both the Pippin and Bayakoa.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 18, 2017, Race 7Entries: Azeri S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Miss Mo Kelly (KY) Channing Hill 119 Paul E. Holthus 20/1 2 2Terra Promessa (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Steven M. Asmussen 3/5 3 3Tiger Moth (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 117 Brad H. Cox 12/1 4 4She Mabee Wild (IN) Jon Kenton Court 117 Mark Danner 20/1 5 5Power of Snunner (PA) Christopher A. Emigh 113 Joe Sharp 8/1 6 6Eskenformoney (KY) Javier Castellano 119 Todd A. Pletcher 3/1 7 7Streamline (IL) Chris Landeros 117 Brian Williamson 10/1
