Oaks News

Robert and Beverly Lewis’ Folklore, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I) and the champion 2-year-old filly of 2005, heads a list of 160 fillies nominated to the 132nd running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 5 at Churchill Downs.

The number of nominations to the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies is up from the 2005 total of 144. The total is the largest since 2001, when 167 fillies were nominated to the race known through the years as the "Derby for Fillies". A record 191 fillies were nominated to the Oaks in 1986, a mark that was tied the following year.

The Kentucky Oaks is run on the day before the Kentucky Derby. Last year’s renewal of the Oaks, won by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Summerly, attracted a record crowd of 111,243. The previous record crowd of 106,156 witnessed the 2000 running of the Oaks. Last year’s race marked the sixth time in seven years that Kentucky Oaks Day attendance topped the 100,000 mark.

Folklore, a homebred daughter of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner and 2001 "Horse of the Year" Tiznow, will attempt to become just the third winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to also take the Kentucky Oaks. Mike Pegram’s Silverbulletday (1999) and Eugene Klein’s Open Mind (1989) won both races and started their respective sweeps with Juvenile Fillies wins at Churchill Downs. Fran’s Valentine, the winner of the 1985 Kentucky Oaks, finished first in the Juvenile Fillies in the first Breeders’ Cup at Hollywood Park in 1984, but was disqualified and placed 10th.

Folklore finished third to Lewis-owned stablemate Dance Daily in her 3-year-old debut in Santa Anita’s Santa Ynez (GIII). Along with the Breeders’ Cup victory, her juvenile campaign was highlighted by a victory in the Matron (GI) at Belmont Park and the Adirondack (GII) at Saratoga. She also had runner-up finishes in Saratoga’s Spinaway (GII) and the Astoria (GIII) at Belmont Park. Folklore has a career record of 4-3-1 in eight races with earnings of $945,500.

A victory by the champion filly in the Oaks would give the Lewises their first win in the race. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the race four times, which is good for a tie with Calumet Farm legend Ben Jones for second on the list of all-time Oaks victories by a trainer. Woody Stephens won the race five times.

Lukas last won the race in 1990 with Seaside Attraction, who upset the heavily favored Go for Wand. His other Oaks winners include Blush With Pride (1982), Lucky Lucky Lucky (1984) and Open Mind. He nominated eight fillies to this year’s Oaks, a total that also includes Circle C Group Farm’s Ex Caelis, the fourth-place finisher in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

This year’s roster of Kentucky Oaks nominees includes many of the most accomplished members of this generation of 3-year-old fillies. Winners of Grade I stakes races on the list include Amerman Racing’s Balance, winner of the Las Virgenes (GI) at Santa Anita; Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier’s Wild Fit, runner-up in both the Las Virgenes and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and winner of the Del Mar Debutante (GI); Adieu, winner of the Frizette (GI) and Spinaway (GII) and also owned by Tabor, Smith, and Magnier; and Charles Cono, LLC’s Diplomat Lady, winner of the Hollywood Starlet (GI) at Hollywood Park.

Other accomplished 3-year-old fillies listed among the 2006 Kentucky Oaks nominees are Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Baghdaria, winner of the Silverbulletday (GIII) at the Fair Grounds at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs; Stevestan Stable’s French Park, winner of the Golden Rod (GII) and Pocahontas (GIII) at Churchill Downs; Richard Schultz and David Menard’s unbeaten Celestial Legend, winner of the Wide Country at Laurel Park; Arindel Farm’s Wait A While, winner of the Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park; STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood’s Itty Bitty Pretty, winner of the Santa Ysabel (GIII) and third in the Las Virgenes; Sonia Chapman and Stuart Tsujimoto’s Misty Rosette, winner of Gulfstream’s Old Hat (GIII); Peter Braugh, Jeff Shields, George Schmitt, et al’s Sierra Sweetie, winner of the California Breeders’ Cup Oaks at Golden Gate Fields; Tabor, Smith and Magnier’s Sabatini, third in the Hollywood Starlet and runner-up in the Santa Ysabel (GIII); Donald Dizney’s Joint Effort, winner of the Sunshine Millions Ocala Stud Oaks; and IEAH Stables and Joseph Plumeri’s Wonder Lady Anne L, winner of the Demoiselle (GII).

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher leads all trainers with nine Oaks nominees, with Lukas and Mark Hennig in second place with eight apiece. Neil Howard nominated six fillies. Darley Stable and Lee Lewis led all owners with five Oaks nominees each. Overbrook Farm nominated four fillies.

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