GET RID OF WHAT AILESU cruises in Pippin Stakes.

HOT SPRINGS — True to form, the Elkstone Group’s Getridofwhatailesu’s came from way back to win the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up before an estimated crowd of 2,600 at Oaklawn on Saturday.

Getridofwhatailesu, a 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper ridden by Joseph Rocco Jr., and trained by Brad Cox, was among the last from the gate, 111/4 lengths behind the leader and 10th through the first quarter-mile in 23.42, paced by Alex and Joann Lieblong’s Wicked Whisper, the 9-2 third choice trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Getridofwhatailesu’s previous two wins, both at Oaklawn last season, came from far back.

“I’m happy it all worked out,” Rocco, Jr. said.

Lbd Stable’s and David Ingordo’s Our Super Freak, ridden by David Cohen, finished second, 11/2 lengths behind the winner and 3/4 lengths in front of thirdplace Istan Council. Chance to Shine finished fourth, 31/4 lengths behind the winner.

Wicked Whisper finished fifth. Vault, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Florent Geroux and trained by Brad Cox, stood in the gate and was pulled up after a delayed start.

After Vault’s surrender, Getridofwhatailesu, off at 8-1, remained last among the remaining 10 in the field through three-quarters in 1:12.29, but she advanced to fourth, four lengths behind the ever-classy Wicked Whisper’s lead at the head of the stretch. Six of Wicked Whisper’s previous seven starts came in graded-stake races including a fifth-place finish in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Fillies on Nov. 1, 2019. Two starts before the Pippin, Wicked Whisper won the Grade III Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Oct. 3, 2020.

Santana said he liked Wicked Whisper’s position late in the Pippin.

“I got a great spot inside,” he said. “She relaxed very well. When I asked her to go, she got a little tired.”

At the head of the stretch, Our Super Freak, who started from the gate’s 12th stall, was in second. Istan Council, trained by Larry Jones and ridden by Luis Quinonez, was in third, 2 1 /2 lengths off the lead and 11/2 lengths in front of the eventual winner.

Jones figured from Istan Council’s previous race, the 1-mile-and-70-yard She’s All In Stakes at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Dec. 18, that she also had a chance to close late. In the race at Remington, Istan Council had looked comfortable in third as the field of seven entered the final turn of the She’s All In, but she was passed by two near the head of the stretch, and a wall of horses fanned out in front of her as they turned for home. Her rider for that race, Sophie Doyle, was unable to find a gap until late and finished a fast-closing second, a head behind the winner.

Our Super Freak passed Wicked Whisper late, but Getrid0fwhatailesu finished faster to pull away and win.

“Got a beautiful trip from the 12 hole to end up two, three-wide into the first turn the whole way around there,” Cohen said. “She dug in. Can’t take anything away from the winner. Finished up well. My horse definitely showed a lot of heart and ran a very hard and strong race.”