Fantasy Stakes Contender Spotlight: Fire Coral

HOT SPRINGS, AR – Susan Moulton’s Fire Coral will try to make it three straight as she ventures into the deep end of the pool in Friday’s $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Fire Coral made only one appearance as a juvenile, finishing a well-beaten fifth over a sloppy Churchill Downs surface in late November. She returned to break her maiden here on January 31 while covering 1 1/16 miles, then led gate to wire over the same course and distance against allowance/optional claiming foes in mid-March.

Undefeated as a 3-year-old, Fire Coral is making her stakes debut against an ultra-stacked field, but trainer Steve Asmussen has a 22% win rate with horses coming off of victory. Tyler Baze will ride the Curlin daughter who is out of the A.P. Indy mare Coral Sun, making Fire Coral a half-sister to the 2018 Groupie Doll Stakes (G3) champion Champagne Problems.

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The Fantasy is a Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep race awarding a total of 170 points to the top four finishers. The winner will receive 100 points, with 40 going to second, 20 to third, and 10 to fourth.

Here is the full field for the Fantasy (click on each horse’s name to read an exclusive preview):