A Sunday roundup of the hopefuls for the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), set for May 6 at Churchill Downs.
AFFIRMATIVE LADY – AMO Racing USA's Affirmative Lady galloped a mile on the main track at Keeneland under Kevin Lundie for trainer Graham Motion.
Affirmative Lady will train at Keeneland early Monday morning before leaving by van around 9 a.m. for Churchill Downs.
AND TELL ME NOLIES – Peter Redekop's And Tell Me Nolies, who arrived at Churchill Downs on Saturday, walked the shedrow Sunday morning.
Winner of the Del Mar Debutante (GI) and Chandelier (GII), the Peter Miller trainee comes into the Kentucky Oaks off a runner-up finish in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2).
BOTANICAL, THE ALYS LOOK, WET PAINT – Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Longines Kentucky Oaks runners Botanical, The Alys Look and Wet Paint all galloped about 1 ½ miles Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.
LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky Farm's Botanical is likely to be one of the top choices in this year's Longines Kentucky Oaks and will be ridden by local jockey Chris Landeros
“She's very talented and she's already proved that this winter at Turfway when she was perfect from four starts,” Landeros said. “Keeneland's meet has proved to be a good steppingstone for the Turfway horses. They've run very well there and I think that shows the caliber of horses that stayed this winter at Turfway. That gives you a lot of confidence coming into the Kentucky Oaks.
“Brad (Cox) is very blessed at having all of these talented fillies in this year's race and even some that won't run in this year's race that have shown a lot of promise.
“I've been riding for 17 years now. I started when I was 17-years-old out west and my career has brought me to the biggest stage here at Churchill Downs. We've been here before but I'm glad I'm in this situation now with some more experience under my belt. I'm very anxious to get it going Friday.”
Jockey Flavien Prat will have the mount on likely Oaks morning line favorite Wet Paint while Luis Saez will pilot The Alys Look.
DEFINING PURPOSE – Following her “happy half” workout on Saturday of :47 for the four furlongs, the Ashland Stakes (G1) winner walked on Sunday.
Greg Geier, assistant to trainer Kenny McPeek, said she emerged from the breeze in fine shape.
DORTH VADER – John Ropes' Dorth Vader galloped about 1 ½ miles at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Churchill Downs.
“She was a bit on her toes (Saturday) but that's kind of who she is,” trainer Michael Yates said. “I'll probably take her over to the paddock once or twice to get acquainted with things. We're very excited to be here this week.”
FLYING CONNECTION – Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis' Flying Connection had a walk day for trainer Todd Fincher.
Following training hours, Flying Connection had a paddock schooling session. Fincher said the Sunland Park Oaks (Listed) winner would go to the gate in the next couple of days.
GAMBLING GIRL/JULIA SHINING – Trainer Todd Pletcher's Kentucky Oaks hopefuls both jogged a mile and three-eighths Sunday morning during the special Derby/Oaks 7:30 to 7:45 training session. Repole Stable's Gambling Girl, who is guaranteed a spot in the mile and one-eighth headliner Friday, had Carlos Quevedo in the tack. Stonestreet Stables' Julia Shining, who is two horses away from making the 14-horse lineup, was partnered by Humberto Zamora.
“They both went well,” Pletcher said. “We're good.”
The trainer was asked for a possible Plan B for the Curlin filly Julia Shining should she not make it into the Oaks lineup.
“Possibly we'd consider the Black-Eyed Susan the day before the Preakness in Baltimore,” he said. “Or we might wait until the Acorn (Stakes) in New York at Belmont (Grade I, $500,000 June 9).”
MIMI KAKUSHI – Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Mimi Kakushi was hand-walked in the Quarantine Barn a day after working a half-mile in :50.40.
PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS – Pretty Mischievous galloped on Sunday morning during the special Derby/Oaks 7:30 to 7:45 training period at Churchill Downs. Having put in her final preparatory work ahead of the Oaks on Thursday, the Godolphin homebred has been moving well under exercise rider Albino Martinez and keeping to her schedule as laid out by trainer Brendan Walsh.
“She galloped her normal one mile and a half today,” said Charlie Lynch, assistant trainer to Walsh. “She schooled in the paddock yesterday and it went very well.”
PROMISEHER AMERICA – Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin's Promiseher America is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs early Monday morning, traveling from her home base at Belmont Park.
Trainer Ray Handal has named Jorge Vargas Jr. to ride the daughter of American Pharoah in the Oaks. The Gazelle (G2) winner will be stabled in barn 42.
SOUTHLAWN – Robert Masterson's Southlawn had another routine 1 ½-mile gallop for trainer Norm Casse Sunday at 7:30 a.m
The speedy daughter of Pioneerof the Nile will be ridden in the Oaks by Rey Gutierrez.
WONDER WHEEL – After following up her final breeze with two easy days on the track, D.J. Stable's Wonder Wheel galloped one mile and a half on Sunday morning. In good hands with assistant trainer David Carroll in the boot, Wonder Wheel entered the track at 5:40 a.m. in the Mark Casse barn's second set.
Carroll reported that Wonder Wheel moved well beneath him and is doing great going into the race. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) champion will keep to the same routine leading up to Oaks day.
Before becoming a trainer in 1992, Carroll worked as an exercise rider for Shug McGaughey. A brilliant exercise rider, Carroll accompanied the 1989 Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer through his morning drills.
ALSO-ELIGIBLE – Richard Bahde's Taxed (No. 15 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard) galloped a mile and a half under Santurino Vergara for trainer Randy Morse.
Morse said Taxed is likely to enter the Oaks as an also-eligible.
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