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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

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Malathaat Exits Ashland Triumph In Good Order; Next Stop Kentucky Oaks

Trainer Todd Pletcher extended his all-time record number of Keeneland stakes victories to 59 on Saturday with triumphs by Shadwell Stable's Malathaat in the Central Bank Ashland (G1) and Starlight Racing's Jouster in the Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association.

“They are all good this morning,” reported Amelia Green, who is overseeing Pletcher's string at Keeneland that also includes Ghazaaly, winner of Saturday's first race.

Malathaat, by Curlin, earned a berth in the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) with her victory. The Oaks will be run April 30, the same day as the $300,000 Edgewood (G2) that could be a possible spot for the Noble Mission filly Jouster to return.

Pletcher said via text that Malathaat and Jouster would remain at Keeneland for the time being.

A half-hour after Malathaat won the Central Bank Ashland, Pletcher saddled Calumet Farm's Bourbonic and Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One to a 1-2 finish in the Wood Memorial (G2) Presented by Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct.

Pletcher has four horses in the top 20 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, including WinStar Farm and CHC Inc's Sainthood, who is stabled at Keeneland following his runner-up effort in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park March 27.

In winning her first Grade 1, Malathaat ran down Pass the Champagne in the final yards to prevail by a head.

“I thought we had it won, but I know Todd has been very high on Malathaat,” said George Weaver, trainer of Pass the Champagne, who is owned by the partnership of R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, Black Ridge Stables and James Brown. “She is doing fine this morning and will ship back (to Palm Beach Downs in Florida) tomorrow morning.”

Weaver followed a similar pattern two years ago with Vekoma after he won the Toyota Blue Grass, returning to his Florida base before going to Churchill Downs Derby Week.

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Pass The Champagne Ready For ‘Big Step Up’ In Ashland

Trainer George Weaver almost made a run at the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in 2019, but his entrant, Point of Honor, did not have enough qualifying points.

On Saturday, Weaver will send out Pass the Champagne for her stakes debut in the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland, which carries 170 qualifying points toward the April 30 Oaks on a scale of 100-40-20-10 to the first- through fourth-place finishers.

“It is a big step up for her and first time going two turns,” Weaver said Friday morning after the Flatter filly galloped on the main track under exercise rider Nick Bush. “Rusty (Arnold) had her the first time she ran, and we liked what we saw in her debut. They (new owners) negotiated a price and bought her with an eye toward the Oaks if we could do it.”

Five weeks after her debut, Pass the Champagne scored her first career win by 2½ lengths for the new ownership group of R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, Black Ridge Stables and James Brown.

“We expected her to run well (in her second start),” said Weaver, who will have Javier Castellano aboard Pass the Champagne for the first time in Saturday's Central Bank Ashland. “We're going to give it a shot.”

After Point of Honor failed to make the Oaks, she went on to win the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) two weeks later. She would go on to place second in three Grade 1 races and earn more than $700,000.

“They are different horses but I think Pass the Champagne has more natural speed,” Weaver said. “They are both class acting fillies.”

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