Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (m, 5, Uncle Mo–Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo), who so often shows her best on the front end, took her California tactics on the road with a 5 1/2-length score in Oaklawn's $1.25-million GI Apple Blossom S. Saturday while conceding between one and six pounds to her rivals. Flying Connection (Nyquist), who shipped in from Sunland Park after three straight stakes wins in New Mexico for the red-hot Todd Fincher barn, closed late to nab second over Mar. 24 Shantel Lanerie S. winner Free Like a Girl (El Deal). Last year's GI CCA Oaks winner Wet Paint (Blame), previously unbeaten in three stakes at Oaklawn, never got involved and finished sixth.

The 3-5 choice, Adare Manor showed old habits die hard as she went clear early under Juan Hernandez, running comfortably with her ears flicking back and forth, and set fractions of :23.68 and :46.95 while Honor D Lady (Honor Code) applied pressure to her outside. Even while Honor D Lady loomed and last summer's GIII Molly Pitcher S. winner Shotgun Hottie (Gun Runner) threw her hat into the mix, Adare Manor never looked seriously threatened. She quickened on the turn, kicked clear with ease and opened up by daylight to hasten home an authoritative winner while Hernandez took a peek under his right arm as the pair's distance on the field remained intact. She got the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.48.

“[Trainer Bob Baffert] had her ready today,” said Hernandez. “They had a lot of confidence in her. I just felt it right away when I jumped on her. She was so calm and she was ready to run great. She loves a mile and a sixteenth. If you saw her, she's huge. She's really a big filly, so she needs a lot of distance in her races.”

A $375,000 Donato Lanni purchase at the 2021 OBS June sale after working a furlong in :10 1/5, Adare Manor won the GIII Las Virgenes S. at three by 13 lengths, had a five-win streak going at four that included the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. and three other graded races, and kickstarted her 5-year-old campaign with a 102 Beyer as the runner-up in the GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita Mar. 9. Seven of her eight career wins have been on the front end, with the lone exception being a stalking trip in last summer's Clement L. Hirsch.

Pedigree Notes:

Adare Manor is one of 49 graded winners and 100 black-type winners overall for exceptional Coolmore America stallion Uncle Mo, a regular among North America's leading sires. She is the second of her sire's progeny to win the Apple Blossom following Unbridled Mo's victory in 2018. She is, however, the lone stakes winner to date out of a Giant Gizmo mare. The latter was relocated to Panama following the 2019 breeding season after standing at Canada's Gardiner Farm. Uncle Mo does have four stakes winners out of mares by Giant Gizmo's sire, the late Giant's Causeway, who was a fellow Coolmore sire, as well as Mar. 30 GI Florida Derby third Grand Mo the First.

Stock in Brooklynsway has risen dramatically since Adare Manor's assent up the stakes ranks. Winner of the 2016 GIII Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland, she was a $170,000 RNA at Fasig-Tipton's November sale in 2017, then went through the same ring in 2020 at the Winter Mixed Sale, where Town & Country picked her up in foal to Into Mischief for $95,000. Adare Manor, then a short yearling, sold at the same sale to Walmac Farms and Gary Board for $180,000 before being pinhooked the next year. Brooklynsway has a 2-year-old filly by Ghostzapper named Nosleeptilbrooklyn, who went to Boardshorts Stables at Keeneland September for $500,000, and a yearling full-brother to Adare Manor. The mare was a $1.2-million RNA at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale; she has aborted her 2024 Tapit foal.

#4 ADARE MANOR scampered away!

The 3-5 choice wins the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) under @JJHernandezS19 for trainer Bob Baffert. She is a daughter of @coolmoreamerica Uncle Mo that runs for Michael Lund Petersen. pic.twitter.com/qxBxmK8wVV

— TVG (@TVG) April 13, 2024

Saturday, Oaklawn
APPLE BLOSSOM H.-GI, $1,250,000, Oaklawn, 4-13, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:42.48, ft.
1–ADARE MANOR, 123, m, 5, by Uncle Mo
       1st Dam: Brooklynsway (GSW-USA, MSW &
                 GSP-Can, $724,597), by Giant Gizmo
       2nd Dam: Explosive Story, by Radio Star
       3rd Dam: Maya's Note, by Editor's Note
($180,000 Ylg '20 FTKFEB; $190,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKSEL;
$375,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Town
& Country Horse Farms, LLC & Gary Broad (KY); T-Bob Baffert;
J-Juan J. Hernandez. $675,000. Lifetime Record: 16-8-5-0,
$1,736,600. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Flying Connection, 118, f, 4, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Free Flying Soul (MSW & MGISP, $423,177),
                                 by Quiet American
                2nd Dam: Ruby Surprise, by Farma Way
                3rd Dam: Santa Rosalia, by Bold Bidder
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Brad King,
Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby
and Lee Lewis; B-Liberty Road Stables (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher.
$225,000.
3–Free Like a Girl, 117, m, 5, by El Deal
                1st Dam: Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull
                2nd Dam: Rich Peace, by Rizzi
                3rd Dam: Lockpeace, by Hold Your Peace
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($5,500 Ylg '20 ESLYRL). O-Gerald Bruno,
Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom; B-Kim Renee
Stover & Lisa Osborne (LA); T-Chasey Deville Pomier.
$112,500.
Margins: 5HF, 3/4, 2. Odds: 0.70, 26.20, 58.30.
Also Ran: Shotgun Hottie, Taxed, Wet Paint, Bellamore, Misty Veil, Honor D Lady.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Currently on the outside looking in, Hades sits in 24th place on the leaderboard with 30 points. The GI Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters. The Lexington offers 42 points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale.

With a victory, Hades would be in the top 20. A runner-up finish would put him on the bubble.

Hades upset potential Kentucky Derby favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) (third) and next-out GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Domestic Product (Practical Joke) (second) with a game victory in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3. Hades suffered his first career defeat finishing a well-beaten fifth behind Fierceness after getting bumped at the start in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 30.

“We need the points. I'm not going to go there to be number 21 (on the also-eligible list),” trainer Joe Orseno said. “He didn't get a chance to run in the Florida Derby.”

Hades will race with first-time blinkers in the Lexington and will also receive a rider change to Jose Ortiz. Paco Lopez was aboard Hades in his first four career starts.

“I always thought he would be better with blinkers, but he kept winning and I couldn't make the change,” Orseno said. “He'll have blinkers here; little ones.”

Two other Lexington entrants could be on the Derby bubble with a victory: Encino (Nyquist) (20 points) and Liberal Arts (Arrogate) (19 points).

John Battaglia Memorial S. winner Encino, scratched from last weekend's GI Blue Grass S. in favor of this spot, tries dirt for the first time for trainer Brad Cox. Last year's GIII Street Sense S. winner Liberal Arts was an eventful sixth (disqualified and placed eighth for interference after getting rank on the first turn) in the GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30.

The Lexington field of 10 also includes 5-2 morning-line favorite The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso), who makes his first start since finishing a very game second in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland Oct. 7.

Saturday's 11-race card at Keeneland also prominently features the GI Jenny Wiley S. Gina Romantica (Into Mischief), a two-time Grade I winner over the lawn in Lexington, held her own against the boys finishing a respectable fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile last time Nov. 4. The 3-1 morning-line favorite is one of four entered for Chad Brown, who has won five of the past six runnings of the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares and has six Jenny Wiley victories overall.

Brown will also saddle last term's GI Matriarch S. heroine Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}), MGSW Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) and longshot Beaute Cachee (Fr) (Literato {Fr}). “With a lot of my good grass fillies, I like to target this and I like the mile and a sixteenth to start,” Brown said.

The field of 10 also includes: Didia (Arg) (Orpen), a game winner of the GII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S. at Gulfstream Jan. 27; and the Charlie Appleby-trained English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who captured the G2 Balanchine S. at Meydan last time Feb. 23.

Wet Paint (Blame), three-for-three against stakes company at Oaklawn last season, will face off against California invader Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) in the GI Apple Blossom H. in Hot Springs. Wet Paint, just up in time in last summer's GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, makes her first start since finishing eighth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Nov. 4. Adare Manor, winner of last summer's GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar, crossed the line one spot better in seventh at the Championships and kicked off her 5-year-old campaign for Bob Baffert with a runner-up finish as the favorite in the GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita Mar. 9.

Saturday's graded action is rounded out by the GIII Count Fleet H. at Oaklawn and GIII Giant's Causeway S. at Keeneland.

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Levothyroxine is a thyroid medication. According to the National Library of Medicine the use of thyroid hormones for doping to enhance performance in human sports has long been controversial. There have been claims of abuse of these drugs, but they have not been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Diodoro declined to comment and referred questions to his lawyer, John Holleman. At deadline for this story, Holleman had not returned a phone call from the TDN seeking comment.

Horses that were entered by Diodoro before he was notified of the suspension are being allowed to run, but he will not be allowed to enter horses thereafter. Diodoro will not be allowed to saddle those horses or visit the paddock.

Diodoro's upcoming entries include the GII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn, a prep for the GI Kentucky Oaks. His stable will send out longshot Midshipman's Dance (Midshipman).

In the cases where a horse tests positive for a banned medication, HIWU has put off enforcing the suspension until the results of the B sample have been returned. But since Diodoro's suspension does not involve a failed drug test, his suspension will go into effect after his horses that have already been entered have run.

According to the HIWU website investigators found the drug to be in Diodoro's possession on March 13. The notice of his suspension was posted to the HIWU website Friday. HIWU spokesperson Alexa Ravit said she could not disclose why HIWU investigators undertook a search that allegedly led to the finding of the drug.

Diodoro faces a suspension of up to two years.

Diodoro was the leading trainer in 2023 at Oaklawn Park and is currently in second in this year's Oaklawn standings. Training since 1995, Diodoro has 3,184 career wins and a winning rate of 21 percent.

Diodoro was suspended for the first 15 days of the current Oaklawn meet after a horse he ran at the 2022-2023 meet had a carbon dioxide (TCO2) finding above the permitted limit.

The post HIWU Hits Diodoro With Provisional Suspension appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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HOT SPRINGS S., (NB) $200,000, Oaklawn, 3-23, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.49, ft.
1–NASH, 117, c, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: Sara Louise (MGSW, $400,435), by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: Kings Lynn, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Til Forbid, by Temperence Hill
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux.
$114,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-3-1, $264,500. *1/2 to
Sara Street (Street Sense), GSP, $216,100.
2–Carbone, 119, c, 3, Mitole–Treasure in Heaven, by Street
Sense. O-L. William & Corinne Heiligbrodt & Flurry Racing
Stables LLC; B-William & Corinne Heiligbrodt (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $38,000.
3–Frost Free, 119, c, 3, Frosted–D J's Favorite, by Union Rags.
($27,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $100,000 2yo '23 TTAAPR). O-Keene
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Jackpot Farm (KY); T-Brett Creighton.
$19,000.
Margins: 5HF, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.00, 2.20, 12.10.
Also Ran: Mr Fillip, Otto the Conqueror, Mena, Magic Grant. Scratched: Count Dracula, Footprint.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Nash Wins Easily In Hot Springs S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“About three weeks ago, I was down there, and he looked great,” said Gasaway of the homebred. “He's been working lights out. Last week, he worked five furlongs in 1:00 and galloped out [six furlongs] in 1:12 and change. That was the plan–take him back there after the Southwest. Scared of the weather and missing work time. We had to work around some rain and one day we did have to work in the mud.”

Also expected for the nine-furlong race, Siena Farm and WinStar's Timberlake (Into Mischief), winner of the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S., also worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 (5/34) at Fair Grounds Saturday. His trainer brad Cox will attempt to win his third consecutive renewal of the race following victories in 2022 with Cyberknife and Angel of Empire last year.

The post Mystik Dan Readies for Arkansas Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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THIS IS USCAR (c, 3, Oscar Performance–Journey On {GSP, $259,878}, by Good Journey) drifted up from his 5-1 morning line to jump as a 9-1 longshot in this debut spot. Up on the pace from the break, he stayed right outside of pacesetter Capital Connection (Connect) and dueled that rival nearly the entire way around the track. The pair traded blows through fractions of :21.97 and :46.00 over the sloppy surface but, as they swung off the turn, This Is Uscar showed his class with a strong late kick to clear the field and romp home by 6 1/2 lengths as his rival held on for second. Journey On has a 2-year-old Blame colt, foaled a Honor A.P. colt last year and was bred back to Karakontie (Jpn) for 2024. Sales History: $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

#2 This is Uscar wins impressively on debut in R6 at Oaklawn for trainer @jblairracing with Emmanuel Esquivel in the saddle!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/i4icyNNYlN

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) March 15, 2024

O-Table 38 Racing LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Jordan Blair.

The post This Is Uscar, Son Of Oscar Performance, Impresses In Sloppy Oaklawn Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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There was a massive telecommunications network failure Saturday afternoon that affected much more than just the horse racing industry. Regardless of where wagers are placed, the transmission from the Amtote totalizator system to the host track's pools are redistributed via Roberts Communications Network. There was a telecommunications failure of several network carriers in the mid-Atlantic region, therefore Amtote and Roberts had no connectivity with the racetracks and therefore it was technically impossible to transmit bets. That it happened prior to Tampa Bay Downs' biggest race of the year and not the third race on a Tuesday was nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence.

Other tracks, among them Santa Anita, Oaklawn, Laurel, Aqueduct, Fonner Park and the Meadowlands experienced similar problems, but none of them were forced to run races as non-betting events.

On Sunday, Amtote and Roberts issued a joint statement, which read in part:

“The issues were not the result of a tote system failure. Rather, the communications network (both primary and backup) that connects the Amtote Mid-Atlantic hub to other wagering hubs failed. Roberts Communications Network (“RCN”) provides the communications network that connects Amtote's Mid-Atlantic hub to all other tote company wagering hubs worldwide. RCN designs and installs the communications network in a manner designed to prevent outages of this type. However, the unprecedented nature of the connectivity outage yesterday, which impacted the third-party providers from which RCN provisions bandwidth, took down both the primary and back-up networks.”

“Everyone needs to stop blaming Amtote,” said Todd Roberts, President and CEO of RCN. “This was an unprecedented failure in the primary and back-up connectivity provided to RCN by our third-party suppliers.

“When the communications links at Amtote's hub were disrupted, it caused a breakdown in the flow of wagering data between Amtote's Mid-Atlantic hub and all other wagering locations. The communications disruption was not caused by any failure in RCN equipment or operations. Rather, both the primary and back-up bandwidth providers to the RCN network failed. RCN has not yet received an official reason-for-outage report from its third-party providers specifying a reason for this failure. However, it is believed that the outage, which was much broader than just the racing industry, affected at least three major telecom/internet bandwidth providers in the geographic region that services the Amtote hub.”

The loss of the estimated $4.5 million in betting handle was a huge blow to Tampa Bay Downs, a racetrack that does not receive any revenue from casinos or slot machines and, therefore, can't afford a hit like it took Saturday. Berube says he wants some answers and has called for an investigation.

“Only bits and pieces are coming in and that's why I have asked for an independent investigation,” he said. “You have a couple different vendors involved, the tote company and RCN communications. I'm not getting a clear story as to what happened at this point and that's why I've asked for an independent investigation. This is unprecedented. I've been in this business for over 30 years and I've never experienced or seen anything like what happened yesterday.”

So who's to blame? That's the tricky part. Neither AmTote, which is owned by 1/ST Racing, nor Roberts nor Tampa Bay Downs apparently did anything wrong. This issue was caused by a utility company that provides network connectivity that carries the transmission of betting data. When that went down betting data could not be transmitted.

And Tampa did what it had to do.

“We waited as long as we could,” Berube said. “It wasn't fair to the horses, so we made the decision to go ahead and run the Tampa Bay Derby, even though it was not a profitable decision. But we needed to run the race and we were glad to run the race.”

Yet both Berube and 1/ST President Aidan Butler, expressed similar sentiments, that no matter how complicated this issue might have been and no matter who was at fault, these sort of things can't keep happening. Remember, it was only a few months ago that FanDuel experienced a situation where bettors were able to make huge wagers on a race and only the base price of their tickets was deducted from their accounts. There still hasn't be a credible explanation as to how that occurred.

“There needs to be a change and this should be a wake-up call for the industry,” Berube said. “I plan on being totally transparent once I get the information and the sequence of events, what happened and who was responsible. The customers need to have confidence in the system.”

“This truly was not an AmTote issue,” Butler said. “But that doesn't really matter. I am looking at it through a gambling lens, and it is really unacceptable. Going forward, it doesn't matter whose fault it was. It's the year 2024 and there's no reason something like this can go on. This can never happen again and can't happen again and that will take a lot of work.”

He's right. As with so many aspects of the game, racing can't afford these stumbles. They alienate the customers and make the sport look amateurish. It must do better.

The post The Week in Review: In Light of Saturday’s Tote Failure, the Industry Must Search for Answers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The only GIII Azeri S. entry to not have tried stakes company, Tiny Temper (Arrogate) ran like a giant down the lane on Saturday afternoon in Hot Springs in the prep for next month's GI Apple Blossom S.

Breaking her maiden at second asking over the slop as a late juvenile at Churchill Downs, the bay was not seen until she ran fourth against allowance company at Ellis Park last summer. Taking a break until the beginning of this year, the older filly faced off-the-turf allowance foes at Fair Grounds Jan. 25 and won by a half-length with a Beyer figure of 92.

Stepping into much deeper waters as an 11-1 shot here, the 4-year-old spotted the field several lengths as favorite Hot and Sultry (Speightster) and Bellamore (Empire Maker) traded blows into the first turn. Looking like a little engine who could up the backstretch, Tiny Temper chased the pace around the far turn and hugged the rail into the lane.

Tiny Temper (far left) makes her run | Coady Photography

As the leaders looked like they were in slow motion, fellow longshot Misty Veil (Tonalist) highjacked the lead with a furlong left. However, it was James Graham's mount who tipped to the two path, ranged up to the outside of her target and got her picture taken with a gutsy performance.

“Don't be afraid to get in there,” said trainer Dallas Stewart. “She (Tiny Temper) showed up big today. We believed in her all along. It's just taken a while. Hopefully, we'll get back to the Apple Blossom. After she won (Jan. 25 entry-level allowance at Fair Grounds), I was like: 'We need to be serious about what we're doing with her quick.' Just get in some good races. This was on the (radar), for sure.”

Pedigree Notes:
Out of three racing crops, this was the 18th stakes winner and 12th graded stakes winner for deceased sire Arrogate. Out of SW Forestier (Forestry), the winner's dam is responsible for a 3-year-old colt by Gun Runner, who Repole Stable bought for $350,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. Her last registered foal is currently a 2-year-old colt by McKinzie.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
AZERI S.-GII, $400,000, Oaklawn, 3-9, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:45.58, gd.
1–TINY TEMPER, 117, f, 4, by Arrogate
          1st Dam: Don't Blame Me (GSP), by Blame
          2nd Dam: Forestier, by Forestry
          3rd Dam: D'Youville Nurse, by Dr. Blum
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($240,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $310,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $155,000 RNA Ylg '21 FTKOCT). O-Mark H. Stanley and Nancy W. Stanley; B-Alan S. Kline Revocable Trust (KY); T-Dallas Stewart; J-James Graham. $222,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $354,240. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Misty Veil, 121, m, 6, Tonalist–Genuine Class, by Birdstone. ($210,000 6yo '24 KEEJAN). O-Resolute Racing; B-William Humphries & Altair Farms LLC (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $74,000.
3–Bellamore, 121, m, 6, Empire Maker–Smart N Soft, by Smart Strike. ($170,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR; $675,000 RNA 5yo '23 FTKNOV). O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $37,000.
Margins: NK, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 11.80, 16.60, 4.40.
Also Ran: Shotgun Hottie, Hot and Sultry, Soul of an Angel, Comparative, Saddle Up Jessie.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

What a finish in the G2 Azeri Stakes at @OaklawnRacing!

#7 TINY TEMPER ($25.60) comes from behind with @James_D_Graham in the irons for trainer @DallasStewart3 and owners Mark Stanley & Nancy Stanley. pic.twitter.com/cyDNpXCE1o

— TVG (@TVG) March 9, 2024

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Here's a look at the fourth installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10:

1) TARIFA (f, Bernardini–Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star', GSW, 4-3-0-0, $278,925. Last start: WON Feb. 17 GII Rachel Alexandra S. Ky Oaks Points: 50. Next Start: GII Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 23 or GI Ashland S., Kee, Apr. 5

Tarifa will have one more prep before the Kentucky Oaks and if she passes that test she will likely be the favorite come the first Friday in May. Trainer Brad Cox still hasn't decided between the GII Fair Grounds Oaks or the GI Ashland S. She has had her first workout since her win in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, breezing a half-mile at the Fair Grounds Mar. 3 in :49.80. Considering that the Rachel Alexandra was her stakes debut, this filly is good now and figures to only get better for Cox.

2) JODY'S PRIDE (f, American Pharoah–Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy) O-Parkland Tbreds & Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (Ky); T-J Abreu. Lifetime Record: MSW & GISP, 4-3-1-0, $590,250. Last start: WON Mar. 2 Busher S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 65. Next Start: GIII Gazelle S., AQU, Apr. 6.

The connections of Jody's Pride, the runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, called an audible at the line of scrimmage and withdrew from the Davona Dale in order to run in the Busher S. at Aqueduct. It was a smart move. They knew they'd be the headliner against a weak field of competitors and that it was a good spot to pick up easy Oaks points. It worked out perfectly as she splashed her way over a sloppy track to win by 2 1/4 lengths with Jose Lezcano aboard. It was the third win in the race over a five-year span for trainer Jorge Abreu. She didn't have particularly good Beyer numbers coming into the race and, though she did improve, her Beyer was an 80. That means she's going to have to run faster in upcoming races. They will stay in New York and run next in the GIII Gazelle S. Her 65 Oaks points puts her at No. 1 on that list.

3) JUST F Y I (f, Justify–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}) O/B-George Krikorian (Ky); T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo filly, GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,317,750. Last start: WON Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40. Next Start: TBD.

Things had gone perfectly for this daughter of Justify through her championship campaign in 2023 and early 2024. She was primed for her return in the Davona Dale, but came down with a fever, forcing trainer Bill Mott to scratch her. Normally, that would be a minor setback, but Just F Y I will now likely go into the Kentucky Oaks with just one prep. That could be a problem. “Her temperature is back to normal,” Mott said. “She looks bright and is eating well. Three races are possible if she recovers well, the Gulfstream Park Oaks, the Fantasy or the Ashland.” A high-quality filly, but she can't afford to have another setback.

4) KOPION (f, Omaha Beach–Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop) O-Spendthrift Farm; B-Tall Oaks Farm (Ky); T-Richard Mandella. Sales history: $270,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $116,600. Last start: 2nd Feb. 10 GIII Las Virgenes S. Ky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start:GIII Santa Ysabel S., SA, Mar. 9

Kopion is in an odd spot. She's not the best 3-year-old filly based in Southern California. Kinza is. But Kopion is California's top threat for the Kentucky Oaks. That's because Kinza is trained by Bob Baffert and will not be allowed to start in the Oaks. She's also not the best 3-year-old filly in the Richard Mandella barn. Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) is. But she has been sidelined and won't be making it to Churchill Downs. According to the Santa Anita notes team, Kopion, a daughter of Omaha Beach will, face off against Kinza again in Saturday's Santa Ysabel S. In some respects, a second-place finish will seem like a win.

5) POWER SQUEEZE (f, Union Rags–Callmethesqueeze, by Awesome Again) O-Lea Farms, LLC; B-Forging Oaks Farm (KY); T-Jorge Delgado. Sales history: $50,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: MSW, 5-3-1-0, $188,650. Last start: WON Feb. 10 Suncoast S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 30.

The real test for this filly will come in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, the final Kentucky Oaks prep run in Florida. The connections have been running her in non-graded races and she has come through, winning the Cash Run S. at Gulfstream and the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs. How good is she? We don't know yet. Sold for just $90,000 at last year's OBS June sale. She is trained by Jorge Delgado, who is not well known on the national scene, but is winning at a 30% clip on the year. For his career, his winning percentage is 22%.

6) INTRICATE (f, Gun Runner–Complex Analysis, by Distorted Humor) O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scot Estes & Cambron Equine, LLC; B-LBD Stable, LLC (Ky); T-Brendan Walsh. Sales history: $200,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-1-0, $362,180. Last start: 2nd GII Rachel Alexandra S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 35. Next Start: GII Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 23

Brendan Walsh will be looking to become the first trainer to win back-to-back runnings of the Kentucky Oaks since Wayne Lukas. Lukas won the 1990 Oaks with Seaside Attraction and the 1989 Oaks with Open Mind. Walsh enjoyed a terrific year last year with Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), who raised her profile in her Oaks win and went on to win the 3-year-old filly championship. Intricate has more to prove before she can be compared to her illustrious stablemate, but there's no reason why she won't have a similar year. Took a bit of a hit when second behind Tarifa in the Rachel Alexandra, but she ran well and was beaten by a top-class filly.

7) LESLIE'S ROSE (f, Into Mischief–Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Whisper Hill Farm; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (Ky); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $1,150,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star', GSP, 3-2-0-1, $89,950. Last start: 3rd Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 15. Next Start: TBD.

A $1.15-million purchase at Keeneland September, this daughter of Into Mischief faced her biggest challenge to date in the Davona Dale S. The results were mixed. She didn't run terribly in what was her stakes debut. She finished third as the 3-10 favorite and was beaten 2 1/4 lengths. The race came after she posted big Beyer numbers in her maiden win and in an allowance race. Trainer Todd Pletcher reports that her next start will either be in the Ashland or the Gulfstream Park Oaks. She deserves one more chance, but a defeat in her next start would mean the bloom is off this rose.

8) WEST OMAHA (f, West Coast–Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-2-0, $203,000. Last start: 3rd in Feb. 24 GIII Honeybee S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40. Next Start: TBD.

Brad Cox is always loaded with talent in the 3-year-old filly division. It looks like Tarifa is his best prospect, but her stablemate West Omaha is still in the mix. After a win in the Silverbulletday S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, she disappointed when third in the GIII Honeybee. S. at Oaklawn as the 11-10 favorite. A little bit on the erratic side, she wins every other race. There can't be any excuses next time…she needs a major win to prove she has what it takes to win the Kentucky Oaks.

9) LEMON MUFFIN (f, Collected–Pelt, by Canadian Frontier)

O-Aaron Sones; B-Mr & Mrs Theodore R Kuster & Collected Syndicate (KY); T-D Wayne Lukas. Sales history: $20,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $140,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-1-4-0, $305,250. Last start: WON Feb. 24 GIII Honeybee S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 50. Next Start: GIII Fantasy S., OP, Mar. 30.

The remarkable story of Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas just keeps going and going. He's now 88, but has shown the world he's still more than capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport and against the very best trainers. He's also bold enough to do what few other trainers would. Prior to her win in the Honeybee, Lemon Muffin was still a maiden after five starts and had never run beyond six furlongs. On paper, she looked to be up against it in the Honeybee but scored the upset at 28-1. Was it a fluke? We'll find out in her next start. Having won the 2022 Oaks with Secret Oath (Arrogate), Lukas will be out to win his second Oaks in three years.

10) FIONA'S MAGIC (f, St Patrick's Day–Mollie's Magic, by Factum) O/B-Stonehedge, LLC (FL); T-Michael Yates. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-2-0, $250,910. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 60. Next start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 30.

When the entries came out for the Davona Dale, Fiona's Magic was completely overshadowed by Just F Y I and Leslie's Rose. But when the dust cleared, Just F Y I had been scratched and Leslie's Rose didn't live up to her billing. That left a void and it was filled by this Florida-bred daughter of St. Patrick's Day (Pioneerof the Nile). She was bred by and is owned by Marilyn Campbell's Stonehedge Farm South, the Florida Breeder of the Year in 1997, 2013, and 2016. Trainer Michael Yates is not well known outside of Florida, but he has won the Davona Dale in back-to-back years. His 2023 winner was Dorth Vader (Girvin).

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“CZ Rocket has captured the affections of countless race fans throughout his many years on the track,” said Nicholson. “After such a successful career, this special gelding has earned the right to enjoy being pampered and celebrated here at Old Friends. We are grateful to his connections for seeking such a well-deserved happy retirement for him.”

“”We are very grateful to Peter Miller and Tom Kagele for donating C Z Rocket to Old Friends,” added Blowen.

C Z Rocket last raced at Oaklawn Park Feb. 19, finishing sixth against a starter allowance field.

“Tom [Kagele] and I talked to each other after the race and we both agreed,” Miller told the Paulick Report after the race. “We said, 'It's time, he's done enough. He's sound, healthy, and happy. Let's not push the envelope.'”

The gelding retired with a record of 46-13-9-7 and earnings of over $2.1m.

“CZ was a special horse that took us to two great finishes in the Breeders' Cup and became one of the best claims of all times,” continued Miller, who also donated Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) to Old Friends in 2019. “He was a pleasure to be around and train. We chose Old Friends for his retirement because of the care and love these horses receive and the chance for the public to visit and enjoy this magnificent animal as much as we did.”

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