Ginger trumps Gold in Martha Washington; Redressthebalance takes Cal Oaks

Millennium Farms and Little Brother Farm's homebred Sister Ginger turned back

the game effort of Rose to Gold for a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $75,000

Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park. The Steve Asmussen trainee was seeking

her first win since breaking her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths last October at

Remington Park, and finished this one mile contest over the fast dirt in 1:39

2/5.

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was in the saddle as Sister Ginger tried to

rebound off a well-beaten last-of-six placing as the favorite in an optional

claimer last out. The bay daughter of Student Council headed straight to the

front when the gates opened, but found plenty of company in the form of Lady

Stonewall, Rose to Gold and Cloudy in Sandiego just in behind.

Sister Ginger set the pace through splits of :23 4/5, :48 3/5 and 1:13 2/5,

and was joined by Rose to Gold on the outside while rounding the final turn. For

a moment the even-money favorite appeared ready to draw off, but Sister Ginger

fought back on the inside and regained the lead in midstretch.

Sister Ginger kept on motoring as Juan Levya angled Rose to the Gold toward

the rail, easily defeating her rival as the 19-1 second longest shot on the

board. The sophomore lass paid $41.20, $12.40 and $7.20 to her faithful backers,

and earned 10 points on the new Road to the Kentucky Oaks points system for the

win.

"It was the perfect trip," Santana said. "She made the lead fairly easily.

When I moved her, I had a lot of horse in my hand. She moved nice. When I was

beside the number 9 (Rose to Gold), I bumped with her a little bit and my filly

got a little scared, but when I pushed her in the stretch, she went on and won

the race."

Later on Saturday, in another points race for the Kentucky Oaks, Rutherford

Group et al's Redressthebalance came with a powerful rally to capture the $53,550

California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields. With jockey Christian Santiago Reyes in

the irons, the Doug O'Neill pupil earned her first win stateside when completing

1 1/16 miles on the synthetic Tapeta in 1:45 2/5.

Redressthebalance bided her time well back in midpack while Marks Mine and Revive

Me dueled on the front end through fractions of :24, :47 3/5 and 1:12 1/5. Marks Mine put away her

rival nearing the turn, but found new

challengers when the tracking My Lil Shamrock and Redressthebalance suddenly ranged up to her outside.

The stretch drive became a cavalry charge as the rest of the field caught up,

but Redressthebalance got the half-length victory on the wire while a photo had to separate the

next four positions following a blanket finish.

Marks Mine, the 8-5 favorite, kept her nose in front of the charging Sweet

Tess, while it was a head back to Macha in fourth. Butterfly Soul finished

another neck back in fifth to complete the blanket finish and was followed under

the wire by My Lil Shamrock, Lucky Moment, Jerry'shoneycarol, Isadaisybelle and

Revive Me. Branding was withdrawn.