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Fantasy Winner Pauline’s Pearl Has ‘Improved Every Time,’ On To Kentucky Oaks

Pauline's Pearl continued her ascent in the 3-year-old filly division with a victory in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) Saturday at Oaklawn.

A homebred for Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke) and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 89, a career best, for her one-length victory over Ava's Grace to secure a spot in the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks is the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

The royally bred Pauline's Pearl, by Tapit out of Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick (a half-sister to 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming), was exiting a troubled second-place finish in her stakes debut, the $300,000 Honeybee (G3) March 6 at Oaklawn. Her Beyer figures, a numerical representation of performance, have improved throughout her five-race career, rising from 61 in her debut sprinting Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds, to 70, 74, 81 in the Honeybee and now 89. The last four starts for Pauline's Pearl have come at 1 1/16 miles.

“Just a tremendous pedigree,” Asmussen said. “Her mother, we had won a Grade 1 with, the Spinaway. Grade-1 winning mare for Stonestreet and the class shows.”

Pauline's Pearl ($3.80) represented Asmussen's record 94th career Oaklawn stakes victory and record fourth in the Fantasy. She was the 4-5 favorite after going off 18-1 in the Honeybee.

Pauline's Pearl was reunited with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. for the Fantasy. Santana had ridden Pauline's Pearl in her career debut, but was aboard stablemate Willful Woman in the Honeybee (Will's Secret was a three-quarter length winner).

“She's a nice filly,” Santana said. “We've expected a lot from her since Day 1. I rode that filly short the first time at Fair Grounds and she ran good. We always expected to run her long. The last four races she's run long, she's improved every time.”

Pauline's Pearl collected 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points for her Fantasy victory and ranks No. 4 on the leaderboard with 120, according to Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks is limited to 14 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Fantasy. Will's Secret is No. 8 with 80 points. She also won Oaklawn's $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 30.

Last year's Fantasy winner, Swiss Skydiver, finished second in the rescheduled Kentucky Oaks (COVID-19) en route to an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly. Fantasy third Shedaresthedevil won the Kentucky Oaks for co-owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

Santana, Asmussen and Stonestreet teamed to win the 2016 Fantasy with Terra Promessa, who finished 10th in the Kentucky Oaks.

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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‘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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Stonestreet Further Impacts Oaks Picture in Fantasy

Already with its GII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton winner Clairiere (Curlin) among the short list of GI Kentucky Oaks contenders, and having bred and sold GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine Malathaat (Curlin) to Shadwell, Barbara Banke's Stonestreet was represented by another serious contender for the run for the lillies with GIII Fantasy S. heroine Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) Saturday at Oaklawn.

Moved up to fourth after a very tough trip sprinting at Fair Grounds Dec. 19, the grey improved to be third going two turns there Jan. 15. She put it all together in the NOLA slop Feb. 12, and most recently finished a close second at nearly 19-1 in the track-and-trip Mar. 6 GIII Honeybee S. behind Will's Secret (Will Take Charge), who was third in the Ashland.

Installed as the 4-5 favorite facing five foes and a seemingly softer bunch than the one that lined up in Lexington, Pauline's Pearl broke alertly from her outside post but was hung four deep around the first turn before eventually working her way closer to the rail. Lightly raced and stretching out Ava's Grace (Laoban) showed the way through a :46.86 half, but Pauline's Pearl tugged her way closer behind six furlongs in 1:11.84 as Coach (Commissioner) also revved up out wide from farther back. Pauline's Pearl proved to have the deepest stamina reserves in the lane, and powered away late under a pumped-up Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Pauline's Pearl, who is also Triple Crown nominated, earned 100 Oaks points for the win, putting her in fourth in the standings with 120 total.

“With who she is and the confidence that race [Honeybee] gave us, I think Ricardo used more of her today, put her in a better position,” said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. “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.”

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
FANTASY S.-GIII, $600,000, Oaklawn, 4-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.64, ft.
1–PAULINE'S PEARL, 117, f, 3, by Tapit
                1st Dam: Hot Dixie Chick (GISW, $343,252),
                by Dixie Union
                2nd Dam: Above Perfection, by In Excess (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Something Perfect, by Somethingfabulous
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana,
Jr. $360,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $461,500. *1/2 to
Union Jackson (Curlin), MSW & GSP, $273,874. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ava's Grace, 117, f, 3, Laoban–Cover Girl Elle, by Out of
Place. O-Cypress Creek Equine; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC
(KY); T-Robertino Diodoro. $120,000.
3–Coach, 121, f, 3, Commissioner–And Stay Out, by Exchange
Rate. ($65,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT). O-Kueber Racing, LLC; B-Three
Lyons Racing LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 0.80, 8.40, 3.30.
Also Ran: Take Charge Lorin, Sylvia Q, West Side Girl. Scratched: Sun Path. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Pauline's Pearl becomes the 89th graded stakes winner for Tapit, sire of 2014 Kentucky Oaks heroine and fellow Asmussen trainee Untapable and 2011 Fantasy winner Joyful Victory. Dixie Union is the broodmare sire of 21 graded winners.

Brilliant and precocious Hot Dixie Chick was a $435,000 FTFFEB '09 juvenile who took that year's GI Spinaway S. She is the dam of two prior winners for the connections, including MSW/GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Union Jackson (Curlin), who stands in New York and has first 2-year-olds. A half-sister to 2017 GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister), Hot Dixie Chick has a 2-year-old colt by Curlin and produced a Constitution colt Feb. 21.

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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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