Oaks Updates

Photo By: Joel Cunningham/CDI

Grade I winner Diplomat Lady comes off the track after breezing four furlongs in 48.20 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Chris Paasch, the daughter of Forestry was the lone Oaks contender to work on Monday.

BALANCE - Amerman Racing Stables LLC's two-time Grade I-winning filly Balance galloped 1 1/8-miles on Monday morning at Hollywood Park.

Trainer David Hofmans plans to work Balance on Friday at Hollywood Park and then ship to Churchill Downs the following day.

Victor Espinoza will have the mount in the Oaks.

BUSHFIRE - Homewrecker Stable LLC's Bushfire galloped 1 ½-miles on the Polytrack training surface at Keeneland under exercise rider Lorina Andersen.

Trainer Eddie Kenneally is planning to work the daughter of Louis Quatorze on Friday or Saturday at Keeneland, and then possibly ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

DIPLOMAT LADY - With exercise rider Alfredo Garcia up, Charles Cono LLC's Diplomat Lady worked a half mile at Churchill Downs in :48.20 after the renovation break over a "fast" track. The move was the third fastest of 44 at the distance, and her "out" time for five furlongs was 1:02.20.

Deputizing for husband Chris Paasch, Bonnie Paasch said the work was moved up a day because of a good chance for heavy rain the Louisville area on Tuesday.

"We got a beautiful track today and Chris said he wanted to get a good work in her of about 48 (seconds)," Bonnie Paasch said. "I think he is planning to work her again Sunday or Monday."

ERMINE - Oxbow Racing LLC's Ermine, winner of Oaklawn Park's Honeybee, walked the shedrow at trainer Ronny Werner's barn on Monday morning.

The Exchange Rate filly is scheduled to work on Tuesday, but rain is in the forecast and Werner said "we may wait until Wednesday or Thursday, but it will be no later than Thursday."

EX CAELIS - Trainer D. Wayne Lukas reported that Ex Caelis, owned by the Circle C Group Stables, came out of a Sunday work in good order.

"Everything is good with her," Lukas said. The Fusaichi Pegasus filly had worked five furlongs in 1:02.80.

ITTY BITTY PRETTY - STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood's Itty Bitty Pretty galloped a mile and a quarter after the renovation break at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Luis Rodriguez.

LAST ROMANCE/WONDER LADY ANNE L - Trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. confirmed his shipping plans for his two Kentucky Oaks hopefuls.

"Last Romance will leave from New York on Thursday and Wonder Lady Anne L is scheduled to breeze tomorrow at (Florida's) Palm Meadows and then ship to Louisville on Wednesday," Dutrow said. The riding assignment has not been confirmed for Last Romance, who is owned by Sanford J. Goldfarb, Michael Dubb and Bunch of Characters Stable.

Edgar Prado will ride Demoiselle (GII) winner Wonder Lady Anne L, who is owned by IEAH Stables, Joe Plumeri, Sanford H. Robbins LLC and Orchard Kids LLC.

LEMONS FOREVER - Leon, Willis and Terry Horton and Dallas Stewart's Lemons Forever jogged Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

A Saturday work is planned for the Stewart trainee, who will be ridden in the Oaks by Mark Guidry.

MISS NORMAN - With owner Greg Norman leading the way, Miss Norman made her first trip to the main track at Churchill Downs just before 9:30 Monday morning to gallop 1 ¼-miles under exercise rider Amy Peters.

Norman said that trainer Karin Long would arrive in Louisville on Friday from her Southern California base and that a seven-furlong work was planned for Saturday.

Tony Farina will have the mount in the Oaks.

PRESS CAMP - Peters Stables LLC, Rancho San Miguel and Matthew Shaver's Press Camp galloped a mile and half at Bay Meadows under exercise rider Sylvester Jiminez.

Trainer William E. Morey said the Comic Strip filly most likely would work toward the end of the week at Bay Meadows before shipping next week to Louisville.

Rafael Bejarano has been lined up to ride in the Oaks.

QUIET KIM - Chris Houchin's Quiet Kim, runner-up in the Santa Anita Oaks (GI), galloped 1 3/8-miles after the renovation break with exercise rider Gerardo Morales up.

Trainer Bob Hess is scheduled to be in Louisville Wednesday or Thursday.

RED CHERRIES SPIN - Naveed Chowhan's Red Cherries Spin galloped two miles on Monday under exercise rider Lorna Chavez.

The daughter of With Approval has no earnings in stakes races, graded or non-restricted, and is last in preference for the Oaks among 17 fillies considered "likely" or "possible" for the race. The Kentucky Oaks is limited to 14 starters, with preference based on earnings by each filly in graded stakes races. Beyond that, earnings in non-restricted stakes races are used to determine which horses draw into the race.

Should it become clear that Red Cherries Spin would not make it into the Oaks, trainer Bernard Flint is looking at other Derby Week racing options that include the $100,000-added Edgewood, an Oaks Day race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16-miles on turf, and the $100,000-added La Troienne (GIII), a 7 ½-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies now run on Derby Day.

Red Cherries Spin is not nominated to either race and would have to be made a supplemental entry for a fee that equals five percent of the race purse. The filly, who was claimed last week by Chowhan for $75,000, is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks and would require payment of $25,000 to make her eligible to run in the $500,000-added race.

TOP NOTCH LADY - Robert J. Wilson's Top Notch Lady galloped a mile and a half after the renovation break with exercise rider Jose Castanon up.

The Sultry Song filly, winner of the Bourbonette Breeders' Cup (GIII) at Turfway Park, is scheduled to work Thursday for trainer Mark Casse.

WAIT A WHILE/READY TO PLEASE - Arindel Farm's Kentucky Oaks contender Wait a While jogged Monday under exercise rider Frederick Buscialle as she returned to the track for the first time since a Saturday workout for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The daughter of Maria's Mon won the Davona Dale (GII) at Gulfstream Park and finished second to Bushfire in the Ashland.

James Scatourchio's Ready to Please, winner of the Fantasy (GII), galloped 1 ¼-miles under exercise rider Jacob Roberts. Pletcher continues to list her as "unlikely" to be entered in the Kentucky Oaks.

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