A day after traveling four furlongs in the second-fastest time at Churchill Downs, D.J. Stable's Wonder Wheel headed back to the track to jog two times around the outside rail under exercise rider Kim Carroll. Coming into the Kentucky Oaks dappled out with a healthy coat and sharp morning works, the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner will look to return to her 2-year-old form after finishing sixth in April's Ashland Stakes (G1) and second in February's Suncoast Stakes for trainer Mark Casse.
“She came out of yesterday's work really well,” assistant trainer David Carroll said. “She's a champion and is so talented. Unfortunately we didn't see the best of her in her last race. There was no real reason why she ran the way she did. She cooled out in five minutes and bounced back to the barn. She cleaned up her feed. She scoped clean. She was two for two (at Keeneland) so you can't blame the track. After the race Tyler (Gaffalione) thought she just had a bad day.”
The dark bay daughter of Into Mischief by Wonder Gal is also two-for-two at Churchill Downs, breaking her maiden from off the pace and winning the Debutante Stakes wire-to-wire. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for Thursday's workout, will be aboard Wonder Wheel in the Oaks, his first mount on the four-time winner.
“He's as good as they come—a terrific rider,” Carroll said. “We're of the opinion that maybe the way that she ran in the Breeders' Cup was probably best race that she has run, even though (rallying from far back to win) wasn't by design. I think if she were to relax and settle near the back, there's no better pilot than Joel to get her switched off early and flying home late.”
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