Staff Reports
Shedaresthedevil, co-owned by Benton Fire Department Captain Autry Lowry Jr., won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.
The Kentucky Oaks, a Grade I stakes race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred fillies, is generally considered the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby for fillies. The 146th Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday with a 6:01 p.m. post time on NBC.
Both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks were postponed from May to September because of the Covid-19 pandemic. No fans were allowed at the Oaks and that will be the case for the Derby.
A 15-1 shot, Shedaresthedevil was not one of the favorites. But she defeated favorites Gamine, trained by Bob Baffert, and Swiss Skydiver.
Shedaresthedevil covered the 1 1/8-mile oval in a stakes-record 1:48.28 with Florent Geroux aboard.
Swiss Skydiver finished second, 1 1/2 lengths back, and Gamine was third, three lengths back.
Lowry owns Shedaresthedevil through Big Aut Farms along with Qatar Racing, Ltd. and Hot Springs-based Flurry Racing Stables, LLC.
“I’ve been a basket case ever since the filly crossed the line. I’ve spent more time crying than anything,” Autry told the national racing publication BloodHorse. “I knew she was a very tough filly, and for her to come out on top was just absolutely amazing.”
Shedaresthedevil, trained by Brad Cox, won her first stakes race, The Honeybee, March 7 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. She also won the Indiana Stakes on July 9 at Indiana Grand.
Both of those were Grade 3 races. In between those races, she lost to Swiss Skydiver by 13 lengths in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn.
In winning the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks, Shedaresthedevil earned her owners the $750,000 winner’s share.
Shedaresthedevil is 5-2-2 with career winnings of $1,245,768.
“It’s unbelievable,” Lowry told BloodHorse. “I knew she was an unbelievable filly. This is a very tough race, in my opinion. It’s probably one of the toughest in the last 10 years or so.”
Shedaresthedevil is a daughter of Grade 1 winner Daredevil. She was sold to agent Clay Scherer for $280,000 on behalf of Flurry Racing and Big Aut Farms at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, according to BloodHorse.
Qatar Racing, a previous owner, remained a partner.
— Featured photo courtesy Kentucky Derby
