HorseRacingNation.com NewsWire

Kentucky Oaks 138: Make Your Pick

Thu, 03 May 2012 17:12:15 GMT

2012 has truly been a year blessed with a multitude of talent among the 3-year-old crops of both fillies and colts in America. Even with the loss of such standouts as My Miss Aurelia and Algorithms, both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby have compiled two of the most competitive fields in the last 15 years. An overflow field of 15 fillies were entered for the 138^th running of the Kentucky Oaks tomorrow at Churchill Downs but a maximum of 14 will actually contest the prized race. The Timothy Hills trained Oaks Lilly currently sits on the outside looking in as the first ever also-eligible to be entered in the Oaks.

The most solid contenders:

This edition of the Kentucky Oaks is probably the strongest field entered since the turn of the century. Grace Hall was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite off the strength of her 6 ½ length romp in the Gulfstream Oaks Stakes (gr.2) which means that Empire Maker has sired the favorites for both the Oaks and Derby this year. It’s easy to look at Grace Hall’s most recent work of :52.10 for four furlongs and think that she

Closing in on the Kentucky Oaks

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:29:41 GMT

What’s not to like about the Kentucky Oaks? In 137 runnings, the Kentucky Oaks has produced some of the sports brightest stars and most thrilling memories and yet it still plays second fiddle to its world-famous counterpart, the Kentucky Derby. There are several upsides to rooting for the Kentucky Oaks and two especially big reasons to like it just as much as the Derby. First, the Kentucky Oaks is run at the same thrilling venue as the Derby but is restricted to a reasonable 14 horse field. This means it can be run as an actual race, with strategy and some amount of uniformity and not as mad-house 20 horse dash like the Derby. Ok, the Derby might not be that hectic, but there’s a whole lot more disarray once the field breaks from the gate than there is in the Oaks. Second, winners of the Kentucky Oaks, and participants in general, tend to have much longer careers on the track than winners and participants of the Kentucky Derby. Recent powerhouse fillies such as Rachel Alexandra and Blind Luck have provided some of the most exciting post-Oaks winning careers this decade. So I a

The Novel Nine: Grace Back on Top

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:39:26 GMT

There are less than three weeks left until the running of the 138^th Kentucky Oaks and the 2012 crop of 3-year-old fillies has continued to impress during their preparations. Since the last Novel Nine there has been some major shifting on the list but most of the names are familiar. Due to the amount of strong performances turned in thus far I found it impossible to list just nine fillies, so the Novel Nine becomes a “false” title this week and includes three more fillies as well as several honorable mentions at the bottom of the list. Taking a look at the Kentucky Oaks contenders, one thing has stood out very clear this year; pace is going to be a key factor. Of the twelve fillies listed, eight either run on the lead or rate as close to the pace as possible. Of the remaining four, all except for three prefer to run just behind the pace. The pace could wind up being extremely brisk this year and there are several very class fillies more than able to run a fiery 1 1/16 mile race that will all be gunning for the lead.

1. Grace Hall – She earned this spot with her overpowering vi

Three Tall Oaks: Gulfstream, Fair Grounds and Santa Anita

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:10:43 GMT

It is just 5 weeks until the 138^th running of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday May 4^th at Churchill Downs and this weekend has come up saturated with talented fields of improving sophomore fillies. In what is easily the most exciting weekend of Kentucky Oaks preps so far this year, no less than three graded stakes races will set sail from coast to coast with some of the most promising 3-year-old fillies lining up to do battle.

The Gulfstream Oaks:

We begin with the Gulfstream Oaks (gr.2) at Gulfstream Park this Saturday which features a return of the top three finishers from last month’s Davona Dale Stakes. It’s the top two finishers from the Davona Dale that will really be catching people’s attention at the betting windows though, as 64-1 Davona Dale surprise winner, Yara, and Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr.1) runner up, Grace Hall, square off once again after running a thrilling stretch duel in the Davona Dale that saw Yara prevail by a neck.

Grace Hall was the heavy favorite to win her 2012 debut in the Davona Dale but came up a little short of holding off Yara in the

Potential for Princess Arabella at Sunland

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:10:57 GMT

Last year Plum Pretty put the once obscure Sunland Park Oaks on the map with a massive 25 length romp that preceded a game winning effort in the Kentucky Oaks just six weeks later. This year Princess Arabella will attempt to tread the same path to Kentucky Oaks glory as she headlines a field of seven fillies in at Sunland Park on Saturday.

Feisty Flirt breaks from the inside post and attempts the 1 1/16 mile distance for the first time. She has won two of her six career starts, a maiden race at Zia Park last September and an allowance score in the middle of December at Sunland Park. Both wins came at the six furlong distance. Her most recent start was an uninspiring 5^th place finish in the Island Fashion Stakes on February 26^th at the 1 mile distance. Her last four works have been exceptionally slow.

Sophisticated broke her maiden by more than 6 lengths in her most recent start at Sunland Park on March 10th which means she’ll be returning off just 12 days rest. It took the Comic Strip filly three starts to break her maiden but she made it count once she did. Her fir

The Novel Nine: Kentucky Oaks Hopefuls

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:44:22 GMT

The colts have been stealing the headlines left and right this year as they make their preparations for the Kentucky Derby and prove that this is one of the most constant and talented crops to pursue classic dreams in quite some time. Sometimes the fillies tend to get shuffled into the background a bit as Derby fever begins to boil over, but from the moment My Miss Aurelia won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr.1) in an absolute waltz to remain undefeated last year, the fillies have been consistently proving that last year’s crop is still going strong. The 2012 Kentucky Oaks promises to have a field almost as exciting and dynamic as the Derby this year and if not for the fact that juvenile champion My Miss Aurelia is still sidelined with a shin issue and for the loss of both Now I Know and Weemissfrankie, the Kentucky Oaks would be garnering a lot more attention right now. As it stands now, the Oaks still has a multitude of talented fillies pursuing the coveted wreath of lilies and for the first time this year, the Novel Nine is finally back.

1. Millionreasons

On Fire Baby: Derby or Oaks?

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:38:46 GMT

On Fire Baby captured the third graded stakes win of her career in the Honeybee Stakes (gr.3) at Oaklawn Park on March 10^th and proved once again that she is one of the leading sophomore runners in the country. After her stellar juvenile campaign, which included a score in the Pocahontas Stakes (gr.2) and a runaway victory in the Golden Rod Stakes (gr.2), On Fire Baby tackled males in the Smarty Jones Stakes on January 16^th at Oaklawn Park. She finished a close and driving third after racing wide on both turns. Brought back to the company of fillies in the Honeybee Stakes by trainer Gary Hartlage this past Saturday, On Fire Baby returned to the winners circle with a convincing win.

A filly that always breaks well from the gate, On Fire Baby was away in the good order at the start of the Honeybee Stakes while Martha Washington Stakes winner, Amie’s Dini, broke best of all and led the field into the first turn. Strung about five wide entering the turn, On Fire Baby and jockey Joe Johnson moved up to be a close third behind Amie’s Dini and Rocket Twentyone as the field r

To 'Zip' or Not in the Las Virgenes

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:38:39 GMT

The Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday attracted a field of eight three-year-old fillies including three graded stakes winners. Most of the buzz has been surrounding the undefeated Reneesgotzip, a flashy daughter of City Zip trained by Peter Miller. In just two lifetime starts Reneesgotzip has proven herself to be a formidable and extremely talented contender, breaking her maiden on December 18^th she defeated favorite and Bob Baffert trained Eden’s Moon by 2 ¼ lengths in front-running fashion under hand ride by jockey Corey Nakatani. One month later Reneesgotzip returned for the Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita where she once again took the lead and never looked back, blistering through the stretch to win by almost 8 length, again under a hand ride. She has worked five times since winning the Santa Ynez and has earned bullet status in her last four straight works. Her latest work came on Sunday when she blazed 5 furlongs from the gate in a terrific :59.40. Miller also got two 6 furlong moves and a 7 furlong work into her between the Santa Yne

Turbulent Descent looks for Redemtion in La Brea

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:01:18 GMT

The Eclipse Awards are just few weeks away, and the final days of 2011 are nearing to a close. Very little could happen to take the Champion 3-Year-Old Filly award away from Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic winner Royal Delta, but trainer Mike Puype is convinced Turbulent Descent will be closing out her year with a grand finale in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes December 31^st.

Turbulent Descent has had a terrific campaign this year, winning Santa Anita Oaks and Test Stakes, both Grade 1, as well as the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes. Unfortunately she failed miserably to perform up to her usual standard of excellence when finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint as the heavy favorite after experiencing a nightmarish trip. Now she is back, and trainer Mike Puype is oozing confidence in his talented charge, stating, “She’ll redeem herself on the 31^st, I have no doubt.” The 3-year-old filly turned in a strong :59.40 five furlong work on Christmas Eve, making it clear she is in excellent form. If ever there is a time for Turbulent Descent to step up her game, and make

Juvenile Fillies: Best Long-shots and Favorites

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:26:46 GMT

Juvenile races have always been the toughest ones for me to handicap. The Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr.1) has produced a full field of 14 promising fillies this year, sorting out the good from the bad is perhaps not as challenging as it appears when looking at the entries. I believe there are five fillies with a good chance to win, and three with a decent chance to hit the board. I hate to say it, but I think this one is all about the favorites for the win. There has been a lot of consistency among the top five contestants this year, hence the reason for three undefeated, Grade 1 winners entered in the field.

My Miss Aurelia is the deserving morning line favorite for the race off the strength of her 5 ½ length romp over Stopshoppingmaria in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes early last month at Belmont Park, but it’s an undefeated daughter of Empire Maker that I like the most right now. Grace Hall won her debut at Delaware Park by three lengths in late July before winning the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes over the gifted Judy the Beauty. She followed that win up with a easy th