Brad Cox-trained Wet Paint found a wet fast track to her liking at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., on Saturday, rallying from last under Flavien Prat to win the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes going away by two lengths. A homebred for Godolphin, the 3-year-old filly by Blame out of Sky Painter, by Street Cry, earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks after covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.62. She paid $8 as the third choice in the wagering in a field of six.
Taxed finished second under Joe Talamo, with Defining Purpose and David Cabrera three-quarters of a length back in third. Take Charge Briana, Olivia Twist and Key to Success rounded out the field. Kentucky Oaks points were distributed on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to the top five.
Breaking from the inside post position, Wet Paint showed no speed coming out of the gate and trailed the field early as even-money favorite Defining Purpose – coming off a 5 1/4-length victory at Oaklawn in the Year's End Stakes – battled with second choice Olivia Twist for the lead, going the opening quarter mile in :23.96 and the half in :48.18.
Olivia Twist, who entered the Martha Washington unbeaten in three Remington Park starts for trainer Todd Fincher, led going into the far turn, the six furlongs clocked in 1:13.28. Rounding the turn and into the stretch, Olivia Twist was engaged by Defining Purpose again, with longshot Taxed making a three-wide move alongside the two leaders.
Prat, meanwhile, stayed on the rail aboard Wet Paint, moving up on the leaders turning into the stretch and then swinging to the outside. She powered to the lead inside the furlong pole with right and left-handed encouragement from Prat and won comfortably.
“Brad (trainer Cox) was telling me she wasn't really quick out of there,” Prat said. “He said to give her time to get herself on her leads. After that, she was traveling well. I was able to cut the corner. And, when I tipped her out, she really responded well.”
The Martha Washington was Wet Paint's second win in four starts, her only previous victory coming in a maiden contest contested on a sloppy track at Horseshoe Indianapolis in October, making a similar last-to-first move. Her most recent start resulted in a second-place finish on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Turfway Park Dec. 14.
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