Kentucky Oaks Update: Feb. 18th

TOP STORIES:

•      EIGHT BELLES DOMINATES IN SPLIT MARTHA WASHINGTON
•      UNBEATEN VAULCLUSE TAKES SUNCOAST
  
•      READY FOR FORTUNE TAKES DEARLY PRECIOUS

 
SOUTH/EIGHT BELLES, SKY MOM SHARE MARTHA WASHINGTON HONORS - Fox Hill Farms' Eight Belles and Heather Stark's Sky Mom captured divisions of the $50,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Sunday at Oaklawn Park with the mile events serving as a springboard to the March 16 Honeybee (Grade III).
           
Eight Belles followed up her 15-length allowance score on Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds by devastating seven rivals to win the second division by 13 1/2 lengths over Oh Lovely in 1:39.17 over a track labeled as "good." Ridden by Terry Thompson for the first time, Eight Belles rated well off the pace before blowing past the pacesetters with a four-wide move on the final turn and then opening up with ease as the 4-5 favorite.
           
The margin of victory was the largest in a stakes event in the 104-year history of Oaklawn Park.  The win stamped Eight Belles as contender for the 134th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
           
"Don't ask me how much I had left," Thompson said. "I have no idea.  I do know she is one special filly."
           
Trained by Larry Jones, Eight Belles improved her record to 3-2-1 in seven races and increased her earnings to $98,650. A daughter of Unbridled's Song out of the Dixieland Band mare Away, Eight Belles closed at 22-1 in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pool 1 that closed Feb. 10.
           
Jones, a native of Hopkinsville, Ky. who also trains Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) runner-up and Kentucky Oaks contender Proud Spell, has enjoyed some good moments at Churchill Downs.  He saddled Island Sand for a runner-up finish to champion Ashado in the 2004 Kentucky Oaks and returned to Churchill Downs last spring to send Hard Spun to a runner-up finish behind Street Sense in the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI).  Hard Spun would go on to win the King's Bishop (GI) at Saratoga before he finished his career with a runner-up finish to "Horse of the Year" Curlin in the Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (GI) at Monmouth Park. 

"I hate to compare her to Hard Spun, but this mare is really special," said Jones.   "I hate to compare her with Proud Spell. They do two different kinds of things. Both of them are very good fillies. But this filly is just doing it easy, where Proud Spell is having to work for it."

Proud Spell opened her 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish to unbeaten champion Indian Blessing in the $200,000 Silverbulletday (GIII) at Fair Grounds.  She had finished second to the same rival in the Breeders' Cup.
           
In the first division, Sky Mom added to trainer Steve Asmussen's  landmark day by overtaking pacesetter Maren's Meadow to prevail by a length under Luis Quinonez. Sky Mom, who received a ground-saving trip from Quinonez, covered the mile over a track labeled as "good" in 1:39.51. Maren's Meadow finished 5 ½ lengths clear of Color Me Up, while 8-5 favorite Closetoaten broke poorly and never threatened on her way to a seventh-place finish.
           
Asmussen, who saddled Summerly to win the 2005 Kentucky Oaks, recorded the 4,000th training victory of his career earlier Sunday on the Oaklawn card.
           
Sky Mom is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Maria's Mon out of the Sky Classic mare Swiftly Classic. The victory was the fourth in 10 starts for Sky Mom and the $30,000 winner's check boosted her career earnings to $210,341.  Her record includes a victory in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park.
           
SOUTHEAST/VAULCLUSE STAYS PERFECT IN TAMPA BAY'S SUNCOAST - Eugene Melnyk's homebred Vaulcluse ran her undefeated streak to three with a one-length victory over Magdalena Racing's My Baby Baby in Saturday's $75,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
           
Ridden by Eibar Coa, Vaulcluse covered the mile and 40 yards in a stakes-record time of 1:39.36 over a fast track. Zayat Stables' Sunday Holiday, the 8-5 favorite, finished fifth and was beaten nine lengths in her 2008 debut.
           
A daughter of A.P. Indy out of the Dehere mare Betty's Pet, Vaulcluse is trained by Tom Albertrani, who could bring the filly back for the $200,000 Florida Oaks (GIII) on March 15 at a mile and a sixteenth.
           
"The farther the better," Albertrani said. "Actually a mile and 40 today was probably going to be a little too short for her. But we needed a spot to bring her back, she's been idle the past couple months and we needed to get her on the track and get her racing. We think a lot about her, and hopefully she'll turn out to be a nice filly for the (Kentucky) Oaks later on."
 
EAST/DEARLY PRECIOUS - Dennis Narlinger's Ready for Fortune rallied from last in a field of six to eventually wear down Jeff Singer's Armonk by a neck to win Sunday's $82,775 Dearly Precious Stakes at Aqueduct. Ridden by Mario Pino, Ready for Fortune covered the six furlongs over a fast inner dirt track in 1:11.31.
         
Ready for Fortune is trained by Gary Contessa, who also saddled the third-place finisher True Intentions, who was another 4 ¼ lengths back. Favored Sherine ran last.
        
Ready for Fortune is a Kentucky-bred daughter of More Than Ready out of the Fortunate Prospect mare Fortunate Card.