Oaks Updates

MIDWEST/CHRISTMAS KID WINS ASHLAND, HIGH HEELS ROLLS IN FANTASY - Rags to Riches is a two-time Grade I winner and the favorite for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 4 at Churchill Downs, but her record cannot rival the accomplishments of Edward P. Evans' homebred Christmas Kid.
The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid held off a late charge by heavily favored Octave to win Saturday's $500,000-added Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. In doing so, the James Jerkens-trained 3-year-old filly earned her third stakes win of year and did so over her third different surface.

Christmas Kid won the Tropical Park Oaks on the turf at Calder, took the Davona Dale on the dirt at Gulfstream and won over Polytrack in taking the Ashland. Rene Douglas was in the saddle as Christmas Kid slipped through a hole along the rail in the stretch to defeat Octave, the Todd Pletcher-trained 3-5 favorite, by a head. She covered the Ashland's 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.90.

"She kicked in down the stretch unbelievably," Douglas said. "I know Todd Pletcher's filly (Octave) and she's a nice filly. She was coming, but my horse had plenty left."

Octave, the 3-5 favorite and runner-up to eventual champion Dreaming of Anna in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) in November at Churchill Downs, rallied from next to last in the field of eight and finished as the runner-up in her fourth consecutive race. She had been second to Mistical Plan in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) in her previous outing.

Dawn After Dawn, a 54-1 shot, rallied for third. High Again was fourth and Mistical Plan finished fifth.

Despite her off-the-board finish, trainer Doug O'Neill said that Mistical Plan was still likely to run in the Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Nick Zito said that Silver Knockers, who finished seventh in the eight-horse field, would also contest the Oaks.

High Heels Dominates In Oaklawn's Fantasy - Anita Ebert's homebred High Heels rallied from seventh to blow past odds-on favorite Cotton Blossom in upper stretch and drew away to a dominating 6 ¾-length victory in Friday's $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (GII) at Oaklawn.

The daughter of E Dubai notched her first stakes victory as she slipped through along the rail under jockey Joe Johnson and rushed past Cotton Blossom, the Todd Pletcher-trained 1-2 favorite off an impressive win in the Florida Oaks. California invader Cash Included finished third as High Heels covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.40.

The Gary Hartlage-trained High Heels improved her career record to 3-2-3 in 10 races and boosted her earnings to $276,648.

Hartlage, a native of Louisville, said High Heels would start next in the Kentucky Oaks.

"She finally did it the way I always thought she could do it," Hartlage said. "Prime time!"

Although she had yet to win a stakes race, High Heels finished third to Lady Joanne and Change Up in last fall's $200,000-added Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs. She also scored her first career victory over the Louisville track.

Swift Temper finished fourth. Time's Mistress, Devil House, Tensas Yucatan and Jay's Princess completed the order of finish in the Fantasy.

Grade I Winner Sutra Heads Stonerside Beaumont - Jack E. Hodge Jr. and Stonerside Stable's Sutra, winner of the Frizette (GI) at Belmont Park at two, heads a field of eight 3-year-old fillies entered in the $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont (GII) on Thursday at Keeneland.

The daughter of Meadowlake finished second in a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park in her only start of the year after she finished her 2-year-old season with a ninth-place finish to champion Dreaming of Anna in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) at Churchill Downs.

Sutra was assigned highweight of 123 pounds and trainer Mike Stidham has named Garrett Gomez to ride. She will break from post seven.

Other major contenders in the Beaumont include Zayat Stable, LLC's Baroness Thatcher, winner of the Santa Ysabel (GIII) and runner-up to Kentucky Oaks favorite Rags to Riches in the Las Virgenes (GI); Mr. and Mrs. R. David Randal's Silverinyourpocket, fourth as the favorite to Sealy Hill in the Bourbonette Breeders' Cup (GIII) at Turfway Park; and Augustin Stable's Forever Together, winner of the Forward Gal (GII) at Gulfstream Park for trainer Jonathan Sheppard.
The Stonerside Beaumont is run at a distance of about seven furlongs.

WEST/RAGS TO RICHES WORKS AT HOLLYWOOD, MAGNIFICIENCE NOT A KENTUCKY OAKS CANDIDATE - Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor's Rags to Riches, the likely favorite for the 133rd running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) at Churchill Downs on May 4, continued her steady training in California with a work for trainer Todd Pletcher on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

The daughter of A.P. Indy covered five furlongs over the Cushion Track surface at Hollywood in 1:01.40.

Meanwhile, unbeaten Magnificience is expected to make her next start in the Railbird Stakes (GIII) at Hollywood Park on May 13.

The daughter of Stormy Atlantic, winner of the Santa Paula (GIII) last time out, is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks and trainer and co-owner Bruce Headley said last week that she would not be pointed toward that race at Churchill Downs.

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