Flash Mash enters FG Oaks Picture

Two-year-old filly Flash Mash, owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L., stamped herself as one to watch on the Road to the Grade II, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks with an effortless 10 1/4-length win in Saturday’s first race, a six-furlong entry-level allowance. Under a confident ride by Jamie Theriot, the Smarty Jones filly drew off without any urging.

“I was a little concerned after Keeneland how she was going to handle dirt but she got here and really worked well on it so we felt good about her making the transition,” said winning trainer Mike Stidham. “Now the next question will be stretching her out two turns and we think she’ll do that, too.”

Theriot was aboard for the first time. Robby Albarado rode Flash Mash in her winning debut at Keeneland but remained in Kentucky this weekend to ride the final days of the Churchill Downs fall meet.

“Jamie was very, very impressed,” Stidham said. “He had worked her for us at Keeneland so he knew about her but then Robby rode her because he had also been working her.”

Flash Mash will be pointed to Fair Grounds’ three-race series for 3-year-old fillies that starts with the $100,000 Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 22 and also includes the Grade III, $150,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes and the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 26.

“We’re not in any hurry, let’s put it that way,” Stidham said. “We’re certainly going to point her to the big 3-year-old filly races so we’re not in any hurry to run her back in a ‘two-other-than.’”