Oaks News

The $150,000 Comely (Grade 2) at Aqueduct is New York's last major prep for the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.  For Boca Grande it is a last chance to prove to her connections she deserves a place in the starting gate at Churchill Downs three weeks from now.

Boca Grande was considered among the favorites for the Kentucky Oaks early this year.  She closed out her 2-year-old season with a visually impressive win in the Demoiselle (Grade 2), besting Get Ready Bertie by 3 ¾-lengths in the 1 1/8-mile test.  Her stock seemed to rise even higher when Get Ready Bertie went on to win the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds early this season. 

However, when Boca Grande made her highly anticipated return to the races in the Forward Gal (Grade 2) she struggled home sixth (of seven) in the seven-furlong race.  While seven furlongs is clearly not her favorite distance, the one-turn configuration of the one-mile Comely won't offer her that much more ground to improve upon.  She may not have to win the race in order to secure a spot in the Kentucky Oaks but her connections are definitely looking for a much improved effort.  She is the 5-2 morning-line favorite and breaks from post four under jockey Mike Smith, who remains in New York specifically to ride her in this spot.

Boca Grande's most daunting foe may in fact be Fee Fi Fo Fum.  The Giant's Causeway filly is light on experience but heavy on talent.  She broke her maiden on the grass at Gulfstream Park and made the immediate leap up to graded stakes competition, finishing a solid third in the Bonnie Miss (Grade 2) behind High Again and Christmas Kid; Christmas Kid came back to win the Ashland (Grade 1), a race High Again also ran well in.  It seems safe to say Fee Fi Fo Fum finds a softer spot in the Comely and might enjoy the new dynamic of a one-turn race.  She is the 7-2 third choice on the morning-line and breaks from post seven under Joe Bravo.

It should come as no surprise that Todd Pletcher shows up with a legitimate contender for the race in Perfect Forest, who may also give him his fifth Kentucky Oaks contender for a good effort.  Perfect Forest was last seen galloping home to a four-length score over first level allowance foes at Gulfstream Park early last month going the distance of a mile.  That makes two good races in succession for the daughter of Forestry.  The knock against her is a jockey switch from John Velazquez to Ramon Dominguez.  She is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1 as she breaks from post three.

Other stakes winners in the field include Desire to Excel, Officer in Pursuit, and both halves of the entry: Bare Dancer and My Kitty.  Winning Point, an undefeated daughter of Point Given, and Lost Etiquette are also entered to compete.  The race is listed as the eighth on the card and slated to go off at 4:20pm EDT.

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