Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Kentucky Oaks field remains in flux
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With entries due Monday, the final couple of spots in the Kentucky Oaks starting gate are still undecided, with the statuses of Amy’s Challenge and Red Ruby being key dominoes in how things will eventually fall into place.
Amy’s Challenge, most recently third in the April 13 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park for Novogratz Racing Stables, was scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs no later than Friday after breezing an easy half-mile in about 50 seconds Tuesday at Oaklawn, trainer Mac Robertson said Wednesday by phone.
“We’re leaning toward the Eight Belles,” said Robertson, referring to the seven-furlong race on the May 4 Oaks card. “I’m planning to wait until Monday to decide which race we’ll enter in.”
Amy’s Challenge, if she goes, would add a major dose of speed to the Oaks. The Artie Schiller filly opened huge leads in both the Honeybee, in which she finished second, and the Fantasy.
As of Wednesday, and in order of preference through qualifying points, these are the 14 3-yearold fillies who would make up the lineup for the Grade 1 Oaks if all go: Midnight Bisou, Monomoy Girl, Sassy Sienna, My Miss Lilly, Chocolate Martini, Coach Rocks, Rayya, Wonder Gadot, Eskimo Kisses, Take Charge Paula, Blamed, Amy’s Challenge, Patrona Margarita, and Classy Act.
An also-eligibles list of as many as four fillies can be listed on the program, with scratch time set for the morning of the race.
If Amy’s Challenge or another filly drops out, then Red Ruby could get in the Oaks as the first alternate. Owned by Sandra Sexton and Brandi Nicholson, Red Ruby had been doubtful for the 1 1/8-mile Oaks since she missed the Fantasy after kicking a ladder in her Oaklawn barn in early April, requiring stitches in a hind leg.
But trainer Kellyn Gorder said this week the gray filly has rebounded very well and has been training forwardly at Keeneland, where she was scheduled to breeze to determine whether she will be entered.
“It’s still up in the air,” said Gorder. “But I like what I’ve been seeing. She’s 100 percent sound, and her wounds have healed well, so we will probably wait and make a final decision after she breezes. The owners will be discussing it. They are not pressing me to run.”
After Red Ruby, the next alternates are Heavenhasmynikki and Kelly’s Humor. Heavenhasmynikki’s owner, Ron Paolucci, said he definitely wants to run, while Brad Cox, who already has Monomoy Girl and Sassy Sienna in the Oaks, said Kelly’s Humor could be diverted to the Eight Belles.
A different Oaks/Derby double
If Always Dreaming and Abel Tasman both race as scheduled next Friday, it will mark the first time in recent history that a Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks winner have both run back at Churchill the following year on Derby weekend.
Always Dreaming is slated to go in the Grade 2 Alysheba and Abel Tasman in the Grade 1 La Troienne. Churchill archives do not date back far enough to determine the last time for such a double reprise, if in fact it has ever happened.
The last Derby winner to make a return appearance on Derby weekend was Go for Gin, who finished third behind Goldseeker Bud in the 1995 Churchill Downs Handicap in his final start. Go for Gin won the 1994 Derby.
The last horse to run in any Churchill race after winning the Derby was Mine That Bird, who was unplaced in two starts (2010 Firecracker and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile) after being turned over to D. Wayne Lukas. Mine That Bird won the 2009 Derby for trainer Chip Woolley.
It has become fairly common for Oaks winners to return the following year in the La Troienne (formerly the Louisville Breeders’ Cup), with seven of the last 20 doing so (and an eighth, Keeper Hill, running back as a 5-year-old in 2000). For anyone thinking about making a big play on Abel Tasman, consider that only one of those has won: Blind Luck, the 2010 Oaks winner, prevailed in the 2011 La Troienne, but the others all lost, often as heavy favorites, including Rachel Alexandra and Plum Pretty.
The last time for a Derby and Oaks winner to run on the same day at any track was 2009, when Rachel Alexandra was first and Mine That Bird was second in the Preakness at Pimlico. Oaks and Derby winners have occasionally competed on the same weekend in Breeders’ Cups.
William Walker attracts 10
After getting short fields for its first three runnings, which came at six furlongs over dirt, the $100,000 William Walker Stakes should be a far more attractive race for bettors when it helps open the Churchill spring meet Saturday night. The Walker now goes at five furlongs on turf.
Masked, in off a pair of wins down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita for Bob Baffert, figures among the favorites, along with Salmanazar, who was a two-back winner of the Texas Glitter at Gulfstream Park for Todd Pletcher. A field of 10 3-year-olds has been entered.
First post for a 10-race Downs After Dark card is 6 p.m. Eastern.
◗ The 10-day forecast on Accuweather.com is calling for high temperatures of 80 on Oaks Day and 70 on Derby Day.