HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Is she the second coming of Rachel Alexandra? The buzz surrounding Taraz sure makes one wonder. Taraz, who has won her two starts by a combined margin of 18 3/4 lengths, stretches out to two turns for the first time Saturday in the $150,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park. It’s the same race eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra won by eight lengths back in 2009 – with a Beyer Speed Figure of 100. But let’s take a deep breath and back up a little bit. The Martha Washington – a mile race that ends at the sixteenth pole – is a Kentucky Oaks prep that will reward its first four finishers points for the classic on a scale of 10-4-2-1. It also shares a card with the $125,000 American Beauty, which drew defending winner Amy’s Challenge and the up-and-coming Irish Mischief. Brad Cox is the trainer of both Irish Mischief and Taraz, who is part of a field of five in the Martha Washington. Taraz invades from Fair Grounds, where she wired the $75,000 Letellier Memorial field by 11 1/4 lengths in her most recent start Dec. 21, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 87. The six-furlong race came following a maiden special weight sprint win at Churchill Downs in her career debut on Nov. 14. “She’s fast,” said Cox. “She’s a big, strong filly that’s talented, and what we’ve asked of her she’s done well within herself. We thought this race made sense as far as moving her to two turns. We like the timing of it. It fit well on the calendar.” Taraz, who is by Into Mischief, is a homebred for Juddmonte Farms. Her dam, Silk Route, is a daughter of Empire Maker who registered both of her wins at 1 1/8 miles. She has also produced a six-time sprint winner in South Sea, who is a full brother to Taraz. Taraz has been nominated to the Triple Crown to keep her options open, said Cox, adding the focus right now is the Martha Washington. “We’re looking forward to running Saturday,” he said. “We’ll take it one race at a time.” Taraz will break from post 3 under regular rider Florent Geroux. “She’ll be quick,” Cox said. “She’s gifted as far as speed goes. She was showing the way going three-quarters. She’ll be forwardly placed just naturally, and hopefully, at some point, she can take a breather and relax and go on.” Taraz’s rivals include fellow stakes winners High On Gin and Princesinha Julia. High On Gin is a stakes winner on dirt and turf, with both of those wins coming at two turns. Princesinha Julia has won at a mile in her last three starts, including the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes at Remington Park. Geroux on Saturday also will be aboard Irish Mischief, who drew well for the American Beauty in getting post 8 in the field of eight fillies and mares. She comes off a win in an optional $62,500 claiming sprint Nov. 21 at Churchill Downs. Irish Mischief won by 5 1/4 lengths and the Beyer Figure of 95 that she earned is the best last-race number in the six-furlong American Beauty. “She’s going into the race extremely well,” Cox said Wednesday. “She likes Oaklawn. She had success there last year, having broke her maiden, and she’s in really, really good form. Her last race going seven-eighths at Churchill was one of her better races of the year. She’s been freshened a little bit and is really doing well.” Irish Mischief, who is Grade 3-placed, races for Michael Pietrangelo, Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables. Amy’s Challenge will add blinkers off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on May 4 at Churchill Downs. She’s been working along at Oaklawn, where she has registered three of her four stakes wins, including last year’s American Beauty by 5 3/4 lengths. David Cohen has the mount from post 3 for Novogratz Racing Stable and trainer Mac Robertson.