Oaks Updates

MIDWEST/BALANCE FAVORED IN KEENELAND'S ASHLAND - Amerman Racing Stable's Balance, winner of the Las Virgenes (Grade I) and Santa Anita Oaks (GI) in her last two starts, will enhance her status as the strong favorite for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) if she can earn a victory in Saturday's $500,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland.

The 3-year-old daughter of 1995 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Thunder Gulch will be a strong favorite in the 1 1/16-mile race that is a key Kentucky Oaks prep. The David Hofmans-trained filly has drawn post six in a field of eight fillies at the Lexington, Ky. track and will be ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza.

Balance shipped from Hofmans' Southern California base late last week and breezed an easy half-mile over the Keeneland surface on Tuesday. She covered the distance in :51 over a "fast" track under exercise rider Diego Sanchez.

"It was a nice little easy blowout for the weekend," said Hofmans. "In all of my 55 years, this is the hardest horse I've ever trained. She has a mind of her own. She has to do things her way."

Other major contenders in the Ashland include Arindel Stable's Wait A While, a Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Maria's Mon who won the Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park by 14 lengths; Ricki and Ron Rashinski's Bushfire, a front-running winner of the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs; and STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood's Itty Bitty Pretty, winner of Santa Ysabel (GIII) and third in the Santa Anita Oaks.

The Ashland field (with jockey), from the rail out, includes: Bushfire (Cornelio Velasquez); Coolwind (Eusebio Razo, Jr.); Wait A While (John Velazquez); Performing Diva (Rene Douglas); Sweet Sugaree (Shaun Bridgmohan); Balance (Espinoza); Saratoga Drive (Javier Castellano); and Itty Bitty Pretty (Mark Guidry).

Injury Takes French Park Out Of Oaks Picture - An ankle injury has taken Golden Rod (GII) and Pocahontas (GIII) winner French Park out of consideration for a run in the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks.

The gray/roan daughter of Ecton Park was scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday at Lexington, Ky.'s Rood & Riddle equine hospital to remove a bone chip from her ankle. Trainer Helen Pitts said the filly apparently suffered the injury during a workout last Sunday at Churchill Downs. French Park, unbeaten in three starts in 2005 but winless in two outings this year, was being prepared for a run in Keeneland's $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont (GII) on April 14.

"The chip is very clean," said Pitts. "There's no damage done to the joint. It's not a big deal, but it's just an unfortunate thing."

Pitts said that French Park would get about two months off following her surgery. The filly goes to the sidelines with a record of 3-1-0 in five career starts and earnings of $297,601.

WEST/SWEET FOURTY "UNLIKELY" FOR KENTUCKY OAKS - Although he will not completely rule out a bid for the Kentucky Oaks, trainer Jeff Mullins said Michael House's Sweet Fourty has probably earned a rest after last week's win in the Sunland Oaks.

The victory at Sunland Park by Sweet Fourty was her first race since a runner-up finish to Kentucky Oaks favorite Balance some four months earlier in the Sharp Cat at Hollywood Park.

Mullins said she came into last week's win off just four works, so he is concerned about whether she could rebound in time for the May 5 Oaks at Churchill Downs.

"I haven't thought about it, but I don't think there is any way she could make it," Mullins told the Daily Racing Form's Brad Free. "She's going to be a little knocked out; it'll take her a while to get over it."

Sweet Fourty is a wagering interest in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which opened on Thursday and will run through Sunday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. (EDT). The wager's rules state that betting on an individual horse can be suspended only if it is determined that the horse has no chance to compete in the Kentucky Oaks, so she remains one of the 24 wagering interests in the year's final Oaks Future pool.

EAST/A SEA TRIPPI BIDS FOR TAMPA BAY WIN - Florida-bred A Sea Trippi has faced tough stakes competition in her last two starts, but Saturday's $75,000 Sophomore Fillies on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs may be a more comfortable fit.

The Ron Spatz-trained filly, fourth to Miraculous Miss in the Stonerside Forward Gal (GII) and second to Joint Effort in the Sunshine Million Oaks at Gulfstream, looms as the favorite under jockey Manuel Aquilar in Saturday's seven-furlong race. She is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks.

Other contenders in the field of 13 3-year-old fillies include Chandrelle No. Five, a two-time winner at Tampa Bay, and A.J.'s Coal Bed, eighth to Bushfire in the Florida Oaks.

OAKS WINNER SUMMERLY ON COMEBACK TRAIL - Winchell Racing LLC's Summerly, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Oaks for trainer Steve Asmussen, moved closer to her return to competition with a four-furlong breeze on Tuesday at Churchill Downs.

The daughter of Summer Squall was sidelined by a split injury last summer while preparing for a planned run in the Alabama (GI) at Saratoga. This week's work - which saw her complete the distance in 50.80 - was her second since a return to training earlier this year at Florida's Palm Meadows.

Asmussen told the Daily Racing Form that he has no timetable for her return. He said the Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI), which will be run on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs, is the prime objective for his 4-year-old filly.

"Churchill hosting the Breeders' Cup is the only reason she's in training," Asmussen told the DRF's Marty McGee. "She really seems to love the track."

Summerly was the first Kentucky Oaks winner for Asmussen, who has led the nation's trainers in victories in three of the last four years and leads that race again this year.

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