3/26/2011 - James Graham (blue & yellow silks) aboard Daisy Devine begins his move coming out of the turn passing Grandacious and jockey Jesse Campbell (turquoise cap) to go on and win the 45th running of the $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds, New Orleans, La. Hodges Photography / Alexander Barkoff

Daisy Devine delivers in Fair Grounds Oaks

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, March 26, 2011) – James M. Miller’s Daisy Devine earned a trip to Louisville with an impressive half-length win over Dede McGehee’s St. John’s River in Saturday’s Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks, the richest prep race for 3-year-old fillies aspiring to the prestigious May 6 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Four of the last six winners of the Fair Grounds Oaks have gone on to win the Kentucky Oaks: Rachel Alexandra in 2009, Proud Spell in 2008, Summerly in 2005 and Ashado in 2004 (the race was not run the season following Hurricane Katrina).

Daisy Devine enjoyed a trouble-free trip with James Graham in the irons, racing in the two-path about one length behind pacesetter Grandacious, who set moderate fractions of 24.21, 48.50 and 1:13.14. Daisy Devine took command in upper stretch and then inched away, finishing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.25.

“She’d trained super going into the race,” said winning conditioner Andrew McKeever. “We skipped the (Feb. 19 Grade III Rachel Alexandra) and trained her into the race and that did her a lot of good. That was a perfect trip today.”

St. John’s River closed from the back of the field to get second, as did the third-place finisher, Landaluce Educe’s Niji’s Grand Girl.

The order of finish was completed by Inglorious, Grandacious, Tapit Dancer, Tourmaline, Switching Gears and Little Miss Holly.

The winner paid $11, $5.40 and $3.80, while St. John’s River paid $8.60 and $5.20 and Niji’s Grand Girl returned $3.80.

The victory was Daisy Devine’s first in a stakes race and the $300,000 winner’s share boosted her career earnings to $359,788.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 139th Thoroughbred Racing Season runs through March 27, 2011, highlighted by the 98th Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 26. Information about Fair Grounds can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com .