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Beautician turns in final move; Blind Luck could be odds-on in Oaks
With Devil May Care (Malibu Moon) expected to go in the Kentucky Derby (G1), the complexion of the Oaks field may have taken a change at the top. "We've beaten most of them, but we need her to run back to her career-best form, which was as a two-year-old," McPeek said. "We've beaten BLIND LUCK (Pollard's Vision) -- we're familiar with her. A lot of these fillies are familiar with each other." The McPeek barn was overflowing with "fillies" on Monday morning, as a group of more than a dozen female students from Cal Poly visited the barn. In the absence of Devil May Care, the Oaks focus may fall squarely on multiple Grade 1 heroine Blind Luck. Churchill Downs morning-line maker Mike Battaglia said a defection of one-half of the Oaks' "big two" fillies would have a dramatic impact on the toteboard. "You have to think Blind Luck would be the odds-on favorite now in the Oaks," Battaglia said. "Just like Devil May Care had in the Bonnie Miss (G2), Blind Luck had an absolute break-out race in the Fantasy (G2), numbers-wise." Blind Luck galloped 1 1/2 miles Monday under the lights predawn with regular exercise rider Archie Cross in from California's Hollywood Park to partner. "It was a bit damp out there this morning and it took about a half-mile to get her bearings," Cross said. "You could tell she was testing it out and seeing what it was like."
Trainer Dale Romans opted Monday not to enter last year's Golden Rod S. (G2) and Pocahontas S. (G3) winner SASSY IMAGE (Broken Vow) in Friday's Kentucky Oaks, but the barn still has a very live bullet in Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner QUIET TEMPER (Quiet American). Quiet Temper galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Javier Tapia. Meanwhile, her regular jockey, Robby Albarado, watched as an interested onlooker from the clocker's stand just beyond the half-mile pole. "I like her chances in the Oaks," Albarado said. "She's gotten better every time I've been on her this year." Quiet Temper was returning to the track for the first time since Friday's final Oaks workout.
Guillot joked Monday about his reputation as a good interview who speaks his mind and doesn't hold anything back. "There's no lame in my game and no sag in my flag," Guillot said. "I got more moves than U-Haul and more game than Xbox." Trainer Mike Maker reported that Bourbonette Oaks (G3) runner-up AGE OF HUMOR (Distorted Humor), stabled at Trackside Louisville, jogged 1 3/8 miles Monday during the 6 o'clock hour with exercise rider Marvin Jiminez in the saddle. Age of Humor is 16th on the graded earnings list. Tempted S. (G3) heroine AILALEA (Pulpit) had exercise rider Carlos Cano in the tack as she galloped a mile Monday morning at Churchill Downs. She took to the muddy track following the 8:30 a.m. (EDT) renovation break that this year has become "Derby/Oaks horses only" time. The Todd Pletcher pupil may have the saddle services of John Velazquez in the Oaks. The top rider could be available for the mount if stablemate Devil May Care runs in Saturday's Kentucky Derby instead. Velazquez would ride Devil May Care against the boys, and jockey Garrett Gomez would pilot Ailalea if Devil May Care goes in the Oaks. Dual Grade 2 victress AMEN HALLELUJAH (Montbrook) jogged a mile over the muddy track Monday morning under exercise rider Joe Deegan. The Rick Dutrow filly had captured the Santa Ynez S. (G2) and the Davona Dale before finishing second to Devil May Care in the Bonnie Miss (G2) at Gulfstream Park in her most recent start. "Our filly ran big. The only excuse we had was the Devil May Care was in the race," Dutrow said. "We just got outrun by Devil May Care." News that Devil May Care may run in the Kentucky Derby instead of the Kentucky Oaks didn't upset Dutrow. "That's OK by me,'' he said. Julien Leparoux has the mount aboard Amen Hallelujah.
"Everything seems to be fine," Eddie Milligan Jr. said. "She shipped in well and rested most of the afternoon yesterday." Eddie Milligan Jr. confirmed that Bella Diamante would only be entered in the Kentucky Oaks and that the $100,000 Eight Belles (G3) at 7 1/2 furlongs on Derby Day is no longer under consideration. Runner-up to Quiet Temper in the Delta Princess S. (G3) last December, Bella Diamante is seeking her first win beyond six furlongs and has yet to hit the board in a race longer than one mile. Trainer John Sadler had CRISP (El Corredor) out for a 1 1/2-mile jog early Monday morning with exercise rider Lupillo Alferez doing the steering. The Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner is putting in her final preparations for Friday's run for the Lillies, where she'll get the saddle services of one of California's top riders, Joel Rosario. Crisp has had six works since the March 6 Santa Anita Oaks, with the last two coming at Churchill Downs. IT'S TEA TIME (Dynaformer), a near-miss second in the Ashland, galloped 1 1/8 miles after the renovation break under exercise rider Ronan Quinn. Trained by Rusty Arnold, It's Tea Time arrived from Keeneland on Sunday morning and schooled in the paddock Sunday afternoon. "She had a busy day yesterday with the shipping and schooling, so she had a light day today," Arnold said. "Tomorrow she will gallop a mile and a half." Prior to her fast-closing runner-up effort in the Ashland over Keeneland's Polytrack, It's Tea Time had raced twice on the turf at Gulfstream Park. "She trained on the dirt here last fall and this winter at Palm Meadows," Arnold said. "I trained her second dam, Rootentootenwooten (Diesis [GB]), and she won the Grade I Demoiselle on dirt."
"They're going to come here and pick her up by van at about 2:30 in the morning and then she'll fly out of Ontario about 4 or 4:30 a.m. our time," Cassidy said. "She'll be in Kentucky tomorrow. I'll arrive later today so that I am in Louisville when she gets there." Evening Jewel has been first or second in seven straight races dating back to last fall's Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita. She exits a wire-to-wire victory in the Ashland in her only previous try outside of California. Evening Jewel will be housed in Barn 41, Stall 20 when she arrives at Churchill Downs. Stakes veteran and multiple Grade 2-placed JOANIE'S CATCH (First Tour) walked the shedrow at Calder Race Course Monday morning before boarding a van bound for Churchill Downs. The Barry Rose filly has finished first, second or third in 16 of 18 races. "The two times she ran out were in a two-furlong race in her first start last year at Gulfstream and a race in which she had problems in the gate. We had some gate problems with her for three races," Rose said while packing his car for the ride to Louisville. Joanie's Catch finished third behind Devil May Care and Amen Hallelujah in the Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream on March 20. Although Devil May Care may run in the Derby instead of the Oaks, Rose knows that Amen Hallelujah will be a formidable foe for Joanie's Catch in the Oaks. "Before the Bonnie Miss, I wasn't concerned about Devil May Care as much as Amen Hallelujah, who just beat us in the Davona Dale," Rose said. Paco Lopez will be aboard Joanie's Catch in the Oaks. Joanie's Catch is scheduled to arrive Tuesday morning and will be housed in Barn 43, Stall 12.
Sheer Beauty jogged Monday morning under exercise rider Georgia Jackson as trainer Bernie Flint waited to see if a spot in the Kentucky Oaks field will open for his filly. "We missed a work with her because of the weather and I've been sitting on the fence for so long, I'm just used to sitting there now," Flint mused. "I guess I'll sit another day, entries are tomorrow."
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