Indian Blessing Could Skip Kentucky Oaks (GI)

On Sunday, trainer Bob Baffert announced that champion INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie), who suffered her first career defeat in Saturday's Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), would receive a break and possibly miss the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 2.

"I think I might just freshen her up," Baffert said at Santa Anita. "I don't know about the Kentucky Oaks. I might not run her."

Indian Blessing has been a major presence in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Closing as the 4-1 favorite in Pool 1, she was the morning-line choice at those same odds when Pool 2 opened Thursday. After she was upset by PROUD SPELL (Proud Citizen) at Fair Grounds, Indian Blessing drifted up to 6-1 heading into Sunday's final day of Pool 2.

"We learned something in the Fair Grounds Oaks," Baffert observed. "Garrett (Gomez) tried to get her to slow down, but she was fighting him. We realized that you've got to just let her go or she's not going to give you that extra kick. We learned that. (But) she's just fast. Her weapon is to run 'em off their feet and just separate herself and let them come get her."

In the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks, Indian Blessing was tracked intently throughout by Proud Spell, who is trained by Larry Jones and was ridden by Gabriel Saez. As Indian Blessing began to tread water in deep stretch, Proud Spell kicked into high gear and mowed her down en route to a 2 1/4-length tally.

"Yesterday, they stayed close to us; that was good tactics on their part," Baffert said. "They're two really good fillies."

Baffert said that Indian Blessing was due back in California this week. An earner of $1,647,200, the dark bay captured her first five outings, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Frizette S. (G1), Santa Ynez S. (G2) and Silverbulletday S. (G3).