Newly turned sophomores Hoosier Philly and Curly Jack rejoined the barn of trainer Tom Amoss Jan. 1 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Both are coming off stellar 2-year-old campaigns, and following the Churchill Downs fall meet, they were freshened at Woodford Thoroughbreds near Versailles, Ky.
"They'll both point towards the preps for the Louisiana Derby (G2) and (Fair Grounds) Oaks (G2)," Tom Amoss said. "The Risen Star (G2) for Curly Jack and the Rachel Alexandra (G2) for Hoosier (Philly)."
Slated Feb. 18, the $400,000 Risen Star and the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra are the third of four local preps for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1), both at Churchill Downs in early May. The two Fair Grounds races offer qualifying points on a 50-20-15-10-5 scale.
A perfect 3-for-3 as a 2-year-old, Hoosier Philly earned 10 points towards the Kentucky Oaks with her Golden Rod Stakes (G2) romp at Churchill Downs in late November. She defeated Knockyoursocksoff and the eventual Untapable Stakes winner Pretty Mischievous by five lengths at 1 1/16 miles. Prior to that, she won the Rags to Riches Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths.
"Hoosier Philly is something," Amoss said. "She's something different than I've ever had. If she stays healthy she is going to wow the world."
Curly Jack, 2-2-0 in six starts, won the Iroquois Stakes (G3) in September at Churchill Downs and most recently was second to Instant Coffee in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2).
