NEW YORK - Trainer Todd Pletcher already had a strong stable of Kentucky Derby (Grade I) contenders as he nominated a record 35 horses to the Visa Triple Crown. After Saturday’s $100,000 Cicada (GIII) at Aqueduct, it appears that he may have a Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender in his barn.

Padua Stables’ Bohemian Lady exploded down the stretch for a dominating 6 1/2-length over favored Whoopi Cat in the seven furlong race. The daughter of Carson City was ridden by Edgar Prado as she covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.22 over a track rated “good.” The victory was her third in four starts, all of which have come at Aqueduct.

The runner-up finish was an improvement for Whoopi Cat, who was coming off subpar outings as she finished fifth in the Las Virgenes (GI) and sixth in the Santa Ynez (GII) at Santa Anita. Trainer Patrick Biancone was happy with his filly’s performance, but a Kentucky Oaks bid appears unlikely.

“She’s coming around nicely and slowly,” Biancone said. “She ran a good race but the winner was just too good. We’ll take it step-by-step. I think we will have a good horse for Saratoga.”

There was a significant defection from the Cicada as the unbeaten Among My Souvenirs, the morning line favorite, was scratched early Saturday. Trainer Anthony Dutrow discovered the daughter of Souvenir Copy was lame in her right front foot and an examination revealed that she was suffering from abscess in that foot.

KENTUCKY - The return to the scene of her greatest performance turned out to be a tonic for Padua Stable’s Class Above as the Bob Baffert-trained filly scored an easy victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Bourbonette Breeders’ Cup at Turfway Park.

The daughter of Quiet American rolled to a 3 3/4-length victory on Saturday as the 1-2 favorite in the six horse field. Ridden for the first time by Jerry Bailey, Class Above covered the mile in 1:37.98 over a “wet fast” track to scored her third win in five lifetime starts.

The dark bay filly had not won since she turned heads in September with a 16-length romp in Turfway’s Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies. She followed that win that with a seventh place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) and finished seventh in the her 2004 debut in Santa Anita’s Las Virgenes (GI).

Susan’s Angel finished second while Native Annie checked in third.

CALIFORNIA - Baffert’s productive weekend continued on Sunday at Santa Anita as Ed Friendly’s Friendly Michelle captured the 6 1/2 furlong Santa Paula.

The daughter of Artax won for the third time in five starts and was coming off a gutty third place effort to A.P. Adventure and Hollywood Story in the Las Virgenes (GI) at Santa Anita. She covered Sunday’s distance in 1:17.34 under jockey Tyler Baze as the 3-5 betting choice.

“She’s still immature and she’s big,” Baffert said. “We had trouble with her shins last summer and she’s just coming around now, so we’re taking our time with her. Her next race will probably be long somewhere.”

Baffert planned to run Friendly Michelle in the March 13 Santa Anita Oaks (GI), but elected to wait for the Santa Paula when California-bred star Silent Sighs was entered in that race. Silent Sighs went on to upset previously unbeaten Halfbridled and A.P. Valentine in the Oaks.

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