Oaks Blogs

It has taken a few days to come to grips with what I saw last Saturday as our humble network in England, Racing World, covered all of the stakes action in this division with races taking place at Gulfstream, Fair Grounds, and at Santa Anita.

Basically, a whole new pecking order for the three-year-old fillies in the run-up to the Kentucky Oaks is in-play after last weekend's evets.

Two-year-old filly champ Dreaming of Anna returned in the Grade 3 Old Hat at Gulfstream and was sent off as an odds-on favorite in an attempt to remain undefeated.  By many, including yours truly, she was considered to be the leader of this division before being upset in that race by a talented runner named Dream Rush.

Not only did Dreaming of Anna get beat for the 1st time in her career, trainer Wayne Catalano was quoted after the race saying that his star filly would go back to the turf and perhaps stay there (don't say that you weren't warned). 

Dream Rush is quite swift and has only gone as far as 6 1/2 furlongs thus far in her career.  But she certainly has real ability and would be a legit candidate for the Kentucky Oaks if able to stretch-out to races around two turns.

The other stakes at Gulfstream last Saturday was the Grade 2 Davona Dale, which was to feature Meditations but unfortunately the favorite wasn't able to complete the course and had to be pulled up.  This really opened things up for her rivals and Christmas Kid took advantage for trainer Jimmy Jerkens in her return to the main track after a series of turf events.  Jerkens will likely point her for another race in South Florida and Christmas Kid has now emerged as a real contender for the Ky. Oaks.

Over at the Fair Grounds, Appealing Zophie was allowed to set pedestrian fractions on the front end and led throughout in the Grade 3 Silverbulletday, a local prep for the Fair Grounds Oaks.  Trained by Steve Asmussen, Appealing Zophie was a Grade 1 winner as a juvenile and obviously is at her best when allowed to control proceedings on the front end.  Runner-up Total didn't seem to want a race around two turns as a daughter of sprint sire Forest Wildcat while 3rd-place runner Get Ready Bertie was compromised as a late-running sort in a race that had little pace.  Don't give up on the latter just yet.

But without question, the head-turning performance of the busy afternoon for three-year-old fillies was in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes from Santa Anita.  In a contest which featured seven stakes winners from the eight starters, it was the lone non-stakes winner sent off as the favorite.  Rags to Riches was stepped in company after an ultra-impressive maiden victory and despite an extremely wide trip, defeated her more experienced rivals while moving to the head of the three-year-old filly class.  This is a very exciting prospect.

Interesting thoughts from fellow blogger John Asher about this talented half-sister to last year's Belmont winner Jazil, who was nominated for the Triple Crown races against the boys.

Baroness Thatcher finished 2nd behind Rags to Riches and that filly has progressed nicely since switching into the potent Patrick Biancone yard.  Her performance was somewhat forgotten because of the impressive nature of Rags to Riches. 

To me, the big disappointment in the Las Virgenes was Jump On In, who failed miserably in her first attempt going around two bends.  Seemingly, she is off of the Ky. Oaks trail as her conditioner John Sadler was quoted earlier in the week that Jump On In will get a bit of a break and then return in shorter heats.

Also, the UAE 1,000 Guineas took place on Thursday night in Dubai with Folk, who won a single race from three maiden runs in New York, taking a local prep for their UAE Oaks upsetting heavy favorite Southern Hemisphere four-year-old Greetings in front-running fashion.  I can't imagine Folk as a major player in the Kentucky Oaks but stranger things have happened. 

That is all for now from London...cheers