Kentucky Oaks Report

KENTUCKY OAKS REPORT

MARCH 26, 2011

by Jennifer Caldwell

Last week was pretty light in terms of Kentucky Oaks (G1) preps, but this

weekend more than makes up for it. With the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Bourbonette

Oaks (G3) and Sunland Park Oaks all scheduled, the Oaks trail is heating up

again.

California

The Santa Paula S., which was downgraded from Grade 3 status this year,

featured a field of six fillies last Sunday and turned into yet another easy win

for the up-and-coming MILDLY OFFENSIVE (Sharp Humor).

Breaking from the far outside post, the dark bay lass sprinted to the front

but settled into third as California Nectar (Stormy Atlantic) and Tiz the Route

(Tiznow) moved up to duel through the opening quarter. Jockey Rafael Bejarano

let out a notch on Mildly Offensive and the Carla Gaines pupil quickly

repositioned herself back into contention on the outside of those two on the

backside. She took command rounding the turn while still under a hold, then

sloshed home an easy 4 1/4-length winner under a hand ride.

Mildly Offensive recorded the same exact margin in the Santa Paula as she did

when breaking her maiden on February 19 over a wet-fast surface at Santa Anita.

In that six-furlong contest, the filly battled on the lead before drawing clear

in the stretch. She has a quick turn of foot, seeming to hit another gear in the

lane, and continues to progress nicely.

There's nothing left on the Santa Anita schedule for Mildly Offensive, unless

Gaines decides to send her to the grassy Providencia S. (G2) going nine furlongs

on April 9 and I just can't see that happening. She is, however, nominated to

the Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland on the same day, and that 1 1/16-mile test

would be a good spot to see how well she handles a distance of ground.

Mildly Offensive may have too much to do to be considered a real Oaks

candidate, but the Ashland could offer a valuable measuring stick in seeing how

she stacks up against others in her division. Numbers-wise, the unbeaten

three-year-old miss compares very favorably to the likes of KATHMANBLU

(Bluegrass Cat) and R HEAT LIGHTNING (Trippi), having earned BRIS Speed figures

of 98 and 99, respectively, for her maiden and Santa Paula scores. Regardless of

whether she starts in the Oaks or stays in California, Mildly Offensive is

shaping up to be a tough rival in the division.

Oregon

I debated whether or not to talk about ALEC'S MOON (Malibu Moon), but her

connections and nomination to the Ashland eventually persuaded me to mention the

bay lass.

After romping by 6 1/2 lengths in the January 29 Portland Meadows Oaks, the

Jerry Hollendorfer runner returned Wednesday to take on the boys in the Portland

Meadows Derby. While not the most talent-laden bunch, it was still an

accomplishment for the miss to defeat her male counterparts by two lengths.

Alec's Moon hasn't exactly burned up the track in her eight lifetime starts,

but neither have a lot of other Oaks hopefuls. Her one try against graded rivals

in the Santa Ynez (G2) resulted in a less than inspiring performance, but she

has shown progression since that January 15 race by taking the Oaks and Derby at

Portland Meadows. It should also be noted that the filly is owned and trained by

the same people who campaign last year's Kentucky Oaks winner, Blind Luck

(Pollard's Vision). Hollendorfer just might decide to ship his charge to

Kentucky for the Ashland. It would be the best spot to test the mettle of Alec's

Moon against others in her division.

New York

QUANTUM MISS (Smoke Glacken) captured last Saturday's Cicada S. (G3) at

Aqueduct, but the Tony Dutrow charge is not headed to the Oaks. At this time the

gray miss is expected to stay in the sprinting ranks and eventually contest the

Prioress S. (G1) at Belmont Park on July 4.

She dueled on the front end the entire way in the Cicada and began drawing

off in the stretch. The only one who closed any ground on Quantum Miss was COAX

LIBERTY (Successful Appeal), who missed the break and was forced to rally from

well out of it. The runner-up, who was exiting a nice win in the Dearly Precious

S. over the inner track, is also not likely to try the 1 1/8 miles of the

Kentucky Oaks. Coax Liberty's one try at a distance resulted in a well-beaten

sixth in the one-mile Frizette S. (G1) last year.

Finishing last in the Cicada was FULL MOON BLUES (Petionville), who has

definitely lost a step since her Tempted S. (G3) win in November. Trainer Tim

Tullock really needs to go back to the drawing board with the dark bay filly,

who has been unable to factor in three starts since the Tempted.

Fair Grounds Oaks

Saturday's Fair Grounds Oaks is missing its expected main star. Kathmanblu

was scheduled to go in the 1 1/16-mile event, but her connections opted to wait

for the Ashland instead. That leaves INGLORIOUS (Hennessy) as the likely choice

in the race following her second to Kathmanblu in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3).

The bay miss has competed in nothing but stakes since beginning her career at

Woodbine in October. She took a pair of Polytrack stakes at the Toronto track,

then made her sophomore bow in the Rachel Alexandra, where she stayed close to

Kathmanblu's heels in the lane. The Josie Carroll charge will probably rally

late again in the Fair Grounds Oaks but shouldn't have a problem running down

the leader this time.

GRANDACIOUS (Grand Slam) will need to do something in the Fair Grounds Oaks

if she wants to stay on the Kentucky Oaks trail. The Bret Calhoun trainee did

well at Delta Downs, finishing third in the Delta Downs Princess S. (G3) before

making her seasonal bow a runner-up placing in the My Trusty Cat S. But when she

shipped to Oaklawn Park for the Martha Washington, the bay lass faded badly over

the good surface that day and ended up sixth, beaten a total of 35 3/4 lengths.

Calhoun blames the whole experience on the drying-out track, saying Grandacious

was "just horrified by the track" and "just didn't like the funky track." That

race can easily be tossed out, though, if she can muster up her previous Delta

form on Saturday.

Trainer Steve Margolis will saddle two in the Fair Grounds Oaks, and LITTLE

MISS HOLLY (Maria's Mon) is looking to stamp her ticket to Churchill Downs for

the first Friday in May. The chestnut broke her maiden by six lengths going a

mile and 40 yards on December 9, then returned on January 22 last out to be

third in the Silverbulletday S. She'll have to put together a good performance

off the more than two-month break to factor into the Oaks equation. Margolis'

other runner, SWITCHING GEARS (Tapit), still needs to prove she can handle

stakes company. Her only try came as a well-beaten sixth in the Pocahontas S.

(G2) at Churchill in late October.

Also entered in the Fair Grounds Oaks is NIJI'S GRAND GIRL (Candy Ride

[Arg]), and the Kenny McPeek pupil could jump up in a big way while returning to

the main track. Runner-up by only a half-length in the Delta Downs Princess, the

chestnut scored an off-the-turf allowance victory to open the year, then was

third when trying the grass in the Florida Oaks on February 12. A top-three

finish here could see Niji's Grand Girl return to my Top 10 list.

Bourbonette Oaks

SUMMER SOIREE (War Front) is the top draw in Saturday's Bourbonette Oaks at

Turfway Park. Though she broke her maiden by 6 1/4 lengths at Delaware Park in

August, the bay was unable to factor while finishing third in the Blue Hen S.

and an optional claimer in her next two. The filly has improved by leaps and

bounds, though, since that race and romped by 9 3/4 lengths when taking on

allowance rivals January 30 at Oaklawn Park. The Larry Jones runner earned a

nice 95 Speed rating for that effort and could be ready this time around for the

stakes test.

LILACS AND LACE (Flower Alley) and HARLAN'S RUBY (Harlan's Holiday) each have

a shot at the win, but the latter filly doesn't really look a good Kentucky Oaks

prospect. She seems more a synthetic or turf runner, and both were well beaten in their previous

tries on conventional dirt tracks.

Lilacs and Lace actually had an opportunity to try the dirt again when

trainer John Terranova shipped her to Fair Grounds for the Rachel Alexandra, but

she tied up ahead of the race and they withdrew her. According to Terranova,

she's been training great at Palm Meadows, so it looks like the Kentucky Oaks may

still be in the cards for her.

Sunland Park Oaks

PLUM PRETTY (Medaglia d'Oro) and GOLDEN SPRINGS (Pomeroy) appear to have the

best chance of exiting the Sunland Park Oaks and going to the Kentucky Oaks. The

former hasn't run in 50 days and definitely needs the tightener off third-place

runs in the Las Virgenes S. (G1) and Santa Ynez S. (G2). Golden Springs, on the

other hand, enters the 8 1/2-furlong race a nose victress of the Island Fashion

S. last out.

FORMAL PLAN (Formal Gold) was a nose back of Golden Springs in the Island

Fashion while ICELAND DIVA (El Corredor) finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in

third. Neither appears a real Kentucky Oaks contender, but either one could turn

the tables on Golden Springs.

Prima Donna

Saturday's Prima Donna S. at Oaklawn Park is only run at six furlongs, but

has some nice fillies running, including SCARLET MIST (Pure Prize) and ARIENZA

(Giant's Causeway). Scarlet Mist competed over the good track at Oaklawn to be a

length second in the Martha Washington S. on February 12, while Arienza captured

her maiden debut at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, venue just 20 days ago.

The latter miss is a daughter of Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter) and

has a bright future ahead. Her connections probably aren't considering the

Kentucky Oaks at this time, but who knows? A big enough run on Saturday could

have Robert and Lawana Low dreaming of the lilies.

GRAN LIONESS (Lion Heart) was third in the Rachel Alexandra in her last

start, but the Prima Donna is the official start of trainer Calhoun's new

sprinting campaign for the dark bay.

"We had a great trip with everything going our way," Calhoun spoke Thursday

of the Rachel Alexandra. "We had a nice easy pace and we tried to slip away, but

at the sixteenth-pole she was just empty.

"It looks like races at a mile or less are best for her and we've got a few

races picked out. Sure, it was a dream that she was an Oaks-type filly, but it

didn't work out, but she will have some great chances in (sprint) races like

this later on."

Though she won't be in the starting gate for the Kentucky Oaks, Gran Lioness

still has a big chance in the Prima Donna and could lead all the way home.

Top 10

1.   R Heat Lightning

2.   Kathmanblu

3.   Zazu

4.   Joyful Victory

5.   Inglorious

6.   Dancinginherdreams

7.   Pomeroys Pistol

8.   Wyomia

9.   Delightful Mary

10. It's Tricky