Tag: kentucky oaks

The Haiku Handicapper Presented By Form2Win: 2021 Kentucky Oaks

Time to analyze the 2021 Kentucky Oaks field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Pauline's Pearl
Bloodline of a star
But has she been a big fish
Among the minnows?

#2 – Maracuja
Big Gazelle form jump
Still puts her a rung beneath
The field's upper tier

#3 – Clairiere
Travel Column holds
A two-to-one advantage
Going head-to-head

#4 – Crazy Beautiful
Her only real dud
Came in last year's Breeders' Cup
Bad day? Class ceiling?

#5 – Pass the Champagne
Her talent's bubbling
Might be time to pop the cork
Make room on tickets

#6 – Travel Column
Starred in her last prep
And can win from anywhere
Sitting in first class

#8 – Moraz
Bred for the classics
Missing a killer instinct
Can't win without it

#9 – Coach
Like Belichick's Pats
She hasn't been a true threat
Since late October

#10 – Malathaat
Answered a big doubt
When she won outside New York
Ought to have a say

#11 – Will's Secret
Odds would cut in half
If the race were at Oaklawn
Alas, it is not

#12 – Search Results
No need to Ask Jeeves
She'll be in the lead Dogpile
Her chances Excite

#13 – Competitive Speed
Bears a fitting name
If she's in a one-turn race
Not a likely threat

#14 – Millefeuille
Her form lags behind
But her mornings are bullets
Mott might have her right

Prediction
Evenly-matched bout
Travel Column guts it out
Five, ten fill the tri

The post The Haiku Handicapper Presented By Form2Win: 2021 Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dayoutoftheoffice Back for Eight Belles

Blazing Meadows Farm and Siena Farm's Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) makes her belated seasonal debut in the GII Eight Belles S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard Friday. A romping winner of the GIII Schuylerville S. at Saratoga last July, the dark bay added a two-length tally in the one-turn-mile GI Frizette S. at Belmont Oct. 10, but she settled for second when Frizette runner-up Vequist (Nyquist) turned the tables on her in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Tim Hamm pupil recorded a couple breezes at Tampa in January, but there was a gap in her tab after that and she was eventually taken out of consideration for the Oaks. Dayoufotheoffice fired a sharp :58 flat bullet from the gate at Keeneland for this last Friday, however, and is expected to use this as a springboard for the GI Acorn S. June 5.

Bob Baffert seeks a third win in this event with the cutting back Kalypso (Brody's Cause), winner of the GII Santa Ynez S. going this seven-furlong trip at Santa Anita Jan. 3. She was second in the Feb. 6 GIII Las Virgenes S. and third in the Mar. 7 GIII Santa Ysabel S., both at odds-on.

Fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott also owns two prior victories in this race, which was previously the La Troienne, and has an intriguing two-pronged attack this time around. Juddmonte homebred Obligatory (Curlin) impressed when breaking her maiden going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Feb. 7, and was most recently fourth in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks–one spot behind 'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin). Mott's other runner is Godolphin homebred Caramel Swirl (Union Rags), who had been on the board behind some tough foes in her first four outings before breaking through by 10 1/4 lengths at Keeneland Apr. 9, earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

   'Rising Star' Slumber Party (Malibu Moon) was second in Keeneland's GIII Beaumont S. after an impressive unveiling at Gulfstream in January. Abrogate (Outwork) and Windmill (Street Sense) traded decisions in the Feb. 28 Dixie Belle S. and Apr. 3 Purple Martin S. at Oaklawn.

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Ava’s Grace Out of Oaks

Cypress Creek Equine's Ava's Grace (Laoban), runner-up to Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) in the GIII Fantasy S. earlier this month, will scratch from Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks, according to a tweet from Churchill Downs. The tweet went on to say trainer Robertino Diodoro was not pleased with her current condition. Daily Racing Form's David Grening reported the filly's right shoulder is the concern. A nuclear scan is being scheduled.

In addition to her Fantasy placing, Ava's Grace was third in last summer's GII Adirondack S. She was 50-1 on the morning line for the Oaks. David Cohen was scheduled to ride.

The post Ava’s Grace Out of Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Malathaat Installed As 5-2 Morning Line Favorite For 147th Kentucky Oaks

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in a field of 14 3-year-old fillies entered Monday for the 147th running of the $1,250,000 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run at 1 1/8 miles Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

The centerpiece of Friday's 13-race program that features six graded stakes, the Longines Kentucky Oaks will go as the 11th race with a 5:51 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post Friday is 10:30 a.m.

Live coverage of the Kentucky Oaks, which will reward the winner with a check of $767,250, will be provided by NBCSN's telecast from noon to 6 p.m.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, a three-time Kentucky Oaks winner, Malathaat comes into Friday's race off a victory in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland on April 3 that served as her 2021 debut. John Velazquez, who won the 2004 Oaks for Pletcher on Ashado, has the mount and will break from post 10.

Co-second choice on the line at 3-1 are Klaravich Stables' Search Results and OXO Equine's Travel Column.

Trained by Chad Brown, Search Results is perfect in three starts with her most recent coming in Gazelle (G3) on April 3 at the Oaks distance of 1 1/8 miles. Irad Ortiz Jr., who has been aboard for two of those three victories, has the mount Friday and will break from post 12.

Travel Column could give the trainer-jockey combination of Brad Cox and Florent Geroux a third Oaks victory and second in a row.

Cox and Geroux teamed to win the 2020 Oaks with Shedaresthedevil and in 2018 won with the champion Monomoy Girl. Geroux has been aboard Travel Column for all five of her starts with the most recent being a victory in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Travel Column will break from post six.

Cox will have one other starter in the race in Kueber Racing's Coach (50-1). Third in the Fantasy (G3) in her most recent start, Coach will be ridden by Luis Saez and break from post nine.

Fourth choice on the line at 5-1 is Clairiere, one of two entrants for Stonestreet Stables and trainer Steve Asmussen, who is seeking his third victory in the race.

Clairiere, who has faced Travel Column in her past three starts with a victory in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and runner-up finishes in the Golden Rod (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks, will be ridden for the first time Friday by Tyler Gaffalione and break from post three.

Pauline's Pearl (20-1), winner of the Fantasy in her most recent start, will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., and break from post one.

In addition to Velazquez and Geroux, two other riders will be seeking another Oaks victory.

Jose Ortiz, who won the 2019 running on Serengeti Empress, will be aboard Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful (15-1) for trainer Kenny McPeek. Winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in her most recent start, Crazy Beautiful will break from post four.

Javier Castellano, who guided Cathryn Sophia to victory in the 2016 Oaks, has the call on Pass the Champagne (15-1) for trainer George Weaver. Owned by the partnership of R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, BlackRidge Stables and James Brown, Pass the Champagne was second to Malathaat in the Ashland in her most recent start. She will break from post five.

Going for a second training win in the Oaks is Dallas Stewart, who saddled Lemons Forever to victory in the 2006 renewal. Stewart trains Willis Horton Racing's Will's Secret, (30-1) winner of the Martha Washington and Honeybee (G3) prior to running third in the Ashland. Jon Court has the mount and will exit post 11.

The field for the Longines Kentucky Oaks, with riders and morning line odds from the rail out, is:

  1. Pauline's Pearl (Ricardo Santana Jr., 20-1)
  2. Maracuja (Kendrick Carmouche, 20-1)
  3. Clairiere (Tyler Gaffalione, 5-1)
  4. Crazy Beautiful (Jose Ortiz, 15-1)
  5. Pass the Champagne (Javier Castellano, 15-1)
  6. Travel Column (Florent Geroux, 3-1)
  7. Ava's Grace (David Cohen, 50-1)
  8. Moraz (Flavien Prat, 30-1)
  9. Coach (Luis Saez, 50-1)
  10. Malathaat (John Velazquez, 5-2)
  11. Will's Secret (Jon Court, 30-1)
  12. Search Results (Irad Ortiz Jr., 3-1)
  13. Competitive Speed (Chris Landeros, 50-1)
  14. Millefeuille (Joel Rosario, 20-1)

All starters will carry 121 pounds.

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