FRANKLIN — When L J’s Emma dug deep and won the Galway Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 12, trainer Eddie Kenneally started packing the 3-year-old filly’s bags and getting set for a trip to the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs.

L J’s Emma is in the Bluegrass State and revving up for a run in the Grade 3, $1 million Big Ass Fans Music City Stakes on Saturday. The daughter of Into Mischief is owned by Boxman Stables and is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

The Galway at the Spa was the third straight win on turf for L J’s Emma. As soon as she crossed the finish line that day, a trip to Kentucky Downs came into focus.

“Kentucky Downs just kind of evolved,” Kenneally said by phone Friday. “It’s the biggest purse they have for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the grass in the country. We thought if we ran well at Saratoga, then we belonged at a race at Kentucky Downs.”

L J’s Emma started her career on dirt and that didn’t turn out so good. Unraced as a 2-year-old, she had two starts on the main track at Fair Grounds and got beat by a combined 36 ¾ lengths.

Something had to change and Kenneally switched her to the turf.

The filly hasn’t looked back. Her three wins in four starts have been close, but she has shown a willingness to find the wire first.

“She was a much-improved horse on grass,” Kenneally said. “She didn’t do as well as we had hoped she would on the dirt. She found a new lease on life when she got on the grass. We’re happy with her.”

Kenneally will also have the morning-line favorite in Sunday’s $1 million Dueling Grounds Oaks. Safeen, owned by Fergus Galvin and Rebecca Hillen, is the 7-2 choice in the 1 5/16 mile race.

Safeen, by War Front, has won three of seven career starts on grass.

Her first career start was last Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs and she finished second, losing by a nose to Sabalenka, who is also entered in the Dueling Grounds Oaks.

“We know she can handle the track,” Kenneally said. “She has been stabled at Keeneland all year and had two good breezes since her win (in the Grade 3 Pucker Up on Aug. 6) at Ellis. We are very happy with the way she is coming into this.”

The consistency that Safeen has shown is what has Kenneally entering this race with some confidence.

Safeen has one second and three thirds to go along with her three turf victories. She will be trying this distance for the first time.

“She hasn’t disappointed us so far,” he said. “She has had a relatively light year (four starts). She is still very fresh and eager and willing, so we will have just as much confidence in her Sunday that we have had in her all summer.”

Safeen will be ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione, the defending riding champion. He takes over for Luis Saez, who dislocated his collarbone during a race at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

“Tyler will fit her perfectly,” Kenneally said. “Luis did a fantastic riding the filly all year, and I think Tyler will do the same. Tyler is a confident rider and he will see she is reliable and shows up every time.”