The $50,000 Blue Ribbon Stakes on Monday at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., drew a competitive field of eight, but it’s simple to build a case for Elegant Echo. She’s one of two stakes winners in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Oklahoma. Elegant Echo is making a few key moves for Monday. She’s back racing with statebreds and also is cutting back to one turn. The last time Elegant Echo sprinted against Oklahoma-breds she won the Oklahoma Classics Night Lassie in October at Remington Park. Elegant Echo closed from off the pace to win that six-furlong race over a field that included Eireann who came back in her next start to win the one-mile Slide Show at Remington, making her the other stakes winner in this field. Elegant Echo’s win in the Lassie yielded a Beyer Speed Figure of 66, which is the best career number in the Blue Ribbon. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Elegant Echo, who was fourth in the two-turn Slide Show, should get the right kind of pace setup Monday. There appears to be ample speed in the race, with Competitive Bond, Raspberry Martini, and Caleb’s Finest all candidates to contest the pace. Elegant Echo will break from post 6, and Alex Birzer has the mount for Edward B. Melzer Revocable Trust and trainer Alan J. Williams. Elegant Echo is a daughter of Echo Town and the eight-time winning mare Violation. Eireann is cutting back to one turn after taking the Slide Show in her most recent out Nov. 8. She stalked the pace en route to a 3 1/4-length win and would seem like one who also might benefit if the fractions are honest Monday. Eireann, who was a maiden winner at one turn, shows some strong works for her return for trainer Mark Buehrer, who, with Steve Dupy, co-owns the daughter of Oklahoma’s leading general sire, Flat Out. Freddy Manrrique has the mount from post 3. Imamidnightspecial meets winners for the first time after a sharp maiden win at seven furlongs in December at Remington Park. She is bred to be a stakes-quality runner as her dam has produced the multiple stakes winner Wildatlanticstorm, who has earned more than $500,000. Wildatlanticstorm has been working at Oaklawn in advance of his first start since September. “He’s doing well, getting closer,” said Ray Ashford Jr., who trains both Wildatlanticstorm and Imamidnightspecial for their breeder, Jim Jorgensen. Imamidnightspecial is a full sister to Specialsortastorm, who has placed in three stakes. The horses are by Midnight Lute. Elvin Gonzalez has the mount on Imamidnightspecial from post 5. She could get a tracking trip Monday. Others making up the field include Competitive Bond, who is a daughter of Competitive Edge and the mare Another Bond Girl, who was a multiple stakes winner of $313,737. Little Iris has placed in two stakes in her career, running second in both the Lassie and Slide Show. The Blue Ribbon is the first of seven stakes to be run this meet at Will Rogers. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.