‘Getting Extremely Good At The Perfect Time’: Pauline’s Pearl Takes Fantasy Stakes

Stonestreet Stables, LLC's Pauline's Pearl lived up to her 4-to-5 odds and secured herself a spot in the starting gate for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1) with her one-length victory in Saturday's $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark.

Pauline's Pearl raced wide early in fourth place as Ava's Grace led the field of 3-year-old fillies through opening fractions of :23.11 and :46.86 for the first half mile. The heavy favorite moved within a head of the leader after three-quarters in 1:11.84 before shaking clear late to win the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.64 over a fast track. Coach, the 3-1 second choice, closed late to get up for third.

Take Charge Lorin, Sylvia Q and West Side Girl completed the order of finish. Sun Path was scratched.

“She's all class,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Has a tremendous pedigree. She's gotten better every day. She's gotten faster with each race. She's getting extremely good at the perfect time.”

Pauline's Pearl earned 100 points with her victory in the Fantasy and is now ranked fourth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with a total of 120 points. Ava's Grace, who had no previous points, earned 40 points for second. Coach earned 10 points for thirdand Take Charge Lorin earned 10 points for her fourth-place finish, but is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks. The Oaks is limited to 14 starters.

Updated Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks leaderboards

Pauline's Pearl, a homebred by Tapit out of Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, also trained by Asmussen, improved her record to 2-1-1 in five career starts and has now earned $461,500. She returned $3.60, $2.80 and $2.10.

There will be no live racing Sunday in observance of the Easter holiday. Live racing will resume Thursday, April 8 for the start a four-day race week highlighted by the $1 million Arkansas Derby and three other stakes on Saturday, April 10.

Post-race quotes

Winning trainer Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl: “With who she is and the confidence that race (Honeybee) gave us, I think Ricardo (Santana) used more of her today, put her in a better position. He said how confident he was around there. He used a little of her away from there, just to not hand it to them. Said down the backside she was traveling extremely comfortably and obviously we're very pleased with the results.”

“She's all class. Has a tremendous pedigree. She's gotten better every day. She's gotten faster with each race. She's getting extremely good at the perfect time.”

Winning jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Pauline's Pearl: “We had a good trip. Everything worked out. She broke to run, settled down pretty well and I thank God for the victory today. I think she has a great future.”

Jockey Ramon Vazquez, second on Ava's Grace: “She ran a great race. She had never run that long before. She tried hard. She got a little bit tired. She's a nice filly. The trainer (Robertino Diodoro) told me to send her, maybe get one or two lengths in front. That was the plan.”

Jockey Martin Garcia, fifth with Sylvia Q: “I had a good trip. The two horses (Ava's Grace and Take Charge Lorin), they went fast and I was right behind. I had perfect position right on the rail. I know when I asked, the rail was open and she just didn't respond. It wasn't her day. But she's better than that. Today just wasn't her day.”

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Seven Fillies Hope to Make Oaks Fantasy a Reality

Regally bred Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) is among seven fillies hoping to stamp their tickets to the GI Kentucky Oaks in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn. A daughter of Grade I winner Hoot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), the gray earned her diploma at third asking in a sloppy two-turn test at Fair Grounds Feb. 12 and rallied to be a close second next out in this venue's GIII Honeybee S. Mar. 6.

Honeybee third-place finisher Sun Path (Munnings) looks to break through at the black-type level here. A second-out graduation at Churchill in November, the 'TDN Rising Star' dominated by 12 3/4 lengths in an allowance at Fair Grounds Dec. 18. The chestnut was fourth in the Silverbulletday S. there Jan. 16 prior to the Honeybee last time out.

Sun Path's trainer Brad Cox also saddles Honeybee fifth-place finisher Coach (Commissioner). Opening her account with a trio of victories, including the Rags to Riches S. last fall, the dark bay checked in third behind leading Oaks contenders Travel Column (Frosted) and Clairiere (Curlin) in Churchill's GII Golden Rod S. in November. She was runner-up to GI Central Bank Ashland S. contender Will's Secret (Will Take Charge) in a muddy renewal of Oaklawn's Martha Washington S. Jan. 30 and finished behind that foe again in the Honeybee.

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‘Matured’ Sylvia Q Could Give Trainer Phil Bauer An Early Birthday Present In Oaklawn’s Fantasy

Trainer Phil Bauer has a chance for an early birthday present when he sends out two horses Saturday at Oaklawn, notably Sylvia Q in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Bauer turns 36 April 14 and the Fantasy would represent his most lucrative career victory since starting his first horse in 2013.

“I wouldn't mind it,” Bauer said Thursday morning.

Sylvia Q is among seven horses entered in the Fantasy, Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs. The Fantasy will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies. Swiss Skydiver, last year's Fantasy winner, finished third in the rescheduled Kentucky Oaks (COVID-19) behind Honeybee Stakes (G3) winner Shedaresthedevil en route to an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly for trainer Kenny McPeek, Bauer's former boss.

“Purse-wise and just the significance of the race moving forward, to have a shot at the Oaks or even the Black-Eyed Susan, is something we're excited about,” Bauer said.

Sylvia Q returns to stakes company after coming from just off the pace to capture an entry-level allowance race by three lengths March 11 at Oaklawn under Martin Garcia, who is named to ride Saturday. Sylvia Q was exiting the only poor performance of her five-race career, a fourth-place finish, beaten 12 ½ lengths by local division leader Will's Secret, in the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 30. The 1-mile race marked the stakes debut of Sylvia Q, an $80,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate.

“We took a swing at the Martha Washington,” Bauer said. “Her first couple of races, looked like she was wanting to hang. I messed up and put the blinkers on her and it just kind of backfired on us. Just got a little too rank early and didn't have enough at the finish. Took those off and worked to try and get her to relax. Martin gets along with her really well and did a good job in the morning doing it, and she ran to the way she was training. Hopefully, takes another step forward here. Three-year-old filly without an (allowance other-than condition), you're kind of forced to run in stakes until sometime in May. She deserves a shot here.”

Sylvia Q, 5-1 on the morning line, is campaigned by Richard and Tammala Rigney (Rigney Racing LLC). Bauer trains privately for the Rigneys, who reside in Louisville, Ky., and named Sylvia Q, a daughter of Violence, after a “friend of the family,” the trainer said.

“They usually name their horses after people that are close to them, kids, trips they've taken and drinks, stuff like that,” Bauer said.

Overall, Sylvia Q has a 2-2-0 record and earnings of $136,524.

Bauer and Rigney Racing began building their stable by claiming Cookie for $30,000 out of an August 16, 2013, maiden victory at Ellis Park. Cookie – their first starter – became their first winner Sept. 21, 2013, at Churchill Downs.

Bauer and Rigney have since teamed to win the $300,000 Jaipur Invitational (G3) in 2015 at Belmont Park with Channel Marker and the $100,000 Hutchinson Stakes (G3) in 2018 at Gulfstream Park with Madison's Luna. Channel Marker was a $62,500 claim in 2014 at Churchill Downs.

“Very fortunate,” Bauer said.

Tactically, Sylvia Q has been a forward factor throughout her career (all five races have been routes).

“Our filly just has tremendous gate speed,” Bauer said. “She's never been sent, but she's just inherited the lead because she leaves there so well. Maybe the perfect scenario is a horse that wants to go and have a repeat of the allowance race where we just sit on the hip and cruise along that way. I guess the only worry is, is everyone going to have the same plan? But you can't take the race out of them, so I anticipate she'll break sharp and be involved early. How much early I don't know. I'll leave that up to the jock. Don't want a reverse race where she's running off early and fading late, but I think she's matured mentally and understands the process now.”

Sylvia Q and Madison's Luna, who is entered in Saturday's ninth race, an allowance sprint for older horses, are among some 10 horses Bauer has at Oaklawn. The trainer also had around 15 horses at the recently concluded Fair Grounds meeting. Bauer is wintering at Oaklawn for the first time, but before going out on his own did oversee McPeek's Oaklawn division roughly a decade ago.

“Loved my time there when I was there,” Bauer said. “Always wanted to come back, but we just were too small to split. Now this year was kind of our first time that we had enough numbers that, hey, let's give it a shot. It's worked out well.”

Bauer has compiled a 2-3-1 mark from 14 starters at the meet. His horses have collected $174,640 in purses.

Madison's Luna represented Bauer's career first Oaklawn victory, overcoming traffic trouble in a March 4 waiver-claiming sprint. The Tapit gelding returns to the allowance ranks after snapping a nine-race losing streak when running for a $40,000 claiming tag last month. Madison's Luna won his first two career starts, including the Hutchinson by five lengths.

“He's always kind of broken our hearts because we felt like he had the ability to be a top-level horse,” Bauer said. “Showed some brilliance early and then you couldn't get him back to that level. Maybe it was a confidence booster last time. A drop in class is always good. We were joking the other day that this might be his 10th last chance of protecting him. You hope the way he ran last time that maybe he's catching a groove and horses that like that track really like it. We'll give him another shot here at this level. He seems to fit. Obviously, there's a couple in there that look like they're the ones to beat, but if runs the same race back, and doesn't have to wait until the eighth pole to run, he should be a part of it.”

Madison's Luna is the 7-2 second choice in the program.

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Road To The Kentucky Oaks: Pauline’s Pearl Inherits Favorite Role In Fantasy

Maybe the first thing you notice about Pauline's Pearl, on paper, is that she's a Triple Crown nominee. In the flesh, it's her color.

A royally bred daughter of Tapit and Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, Pauline's Pearl possesses a gray coat, with reddish tint and a tiny white dot on her right hip.

“She's gorgeous,” Brooke Stillion said.

Stillion is the regular exercise rider of Pauline's Pearl, who is the 9-5 program favorite for the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile Fantasy is Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs. Probable post time for the Fantasy, the 11th of 12 races, is 5:54 p.m. (Central).

The Fantasy will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies. Swiss Skydiver, last year's Fantasy winner, finished third behind Honeybee Stakes winner Shedaresthedevil in the rescheduled Kentucky Oaks (COVID-19) en route to an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly.

A homebred for Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke) and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl exits a runner-up finish, beaten three-quarters of a length by Will's Secret, in the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 6 at Oaklawn. With Will's Secret (2 for 2 in stakes races at the meeting) passing the Fantasy in favor of the $400,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) Saturday at Keeneland, the improving Pauline's Pearl is poised to become Oaklawn's new leading lady.

“I feel like she's filled out more, just in the short time she's been here,” Stillion said. “I've heard Steve say she's kind of been a late developer. She's slowly gotten better, though. Each race she comes back better and stronger. I've breezed her and love the way she trains. It's a short field and she's beaten two of the horses, already, in there. I'm hoping.”

The Fantasy will mark the fifth career start for Pauline's Pearl, who debuted sprinting Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds. She broke her maiden at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12 at Fair Grounds and just missed at 18-1 in the Honeybee – also 1 1/16 miles – after being in traffic on the second turn. It was her stakes debut and first start outside Fair Grounds.

“Beautiful filly that seems to be going the right direction,” Asmussen said. “We're excited about running her. Quality field.”

Also returning from the Honeybee are Sun Path and Coach, third and fifth, respectively, for trainer Brad Cox. West Side Girl, Ava's Grace, Sylvia Q and Take Charge Lorin, a stablemate of Will's Secret, complete the projected seven-horse Fantasy lineup.

“If I could, I'd come tomorrow and offside Pearl because I'm really excited about her race,” Stillion said. “Tomorrow, I have to drive home for Easter, so I'm going to miss her race. I'm really, really bummed.”

The Fantasy field from the rail out: West Side Girl, Francisco Arrieta to ride, 117 pounds, 12-1 on the morning line; Ava's Grace, David Cohen, 117, 8-1; Sylvia Q, Martin Garcia, 117, 5-1; Coach, Fernando De La Cruz, 121, 5-1; Take Charge Lorin, David Cabrera, 117, 6-1; Sun Path, Joe Talamo, 117, 2-1; and Pauline's Pearl, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 9-5.

Stonestreet, Asmussen and Santana teamed to win the 2016 Fantasy with Terra Promessa. Asmussen won Oaklawn's $60,000 Prima Donna Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters in 2010 with Hot Dixie Chick.

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