Chic is Awesome in Florida Oaks

Aurora Springs Stable's AWESOME CHIC (Awesome Again) rated in midpack during the early running of Saturday's $200,000 Florida Oaks (GIII), moved to the rail and scooted through to take the lead under Irwin Rosendo after the six-furlong point. From there it was just a question of how far she would win by, with a final margin of 4 1/2 lengths recorded when the Rafael Ramos trainee passed under the wire. Awesome Chic was sent off the 13-1 fifth pick in the eight-horse field and returned $28.20, $9 and $5.60 to her faithful backers while finishing the 1 1/16-mile fast track test in 1:44 1/5.

"She has the class, and today she showed she's a tough contender for the distance, a very tough contender," Jose Acero of Aurora Springs said when asked about sending Awesome Chic to the Kentucky Oaks (GI). "We will be (at Churchill Downs) on the 2nd of May, the day my father passed away 30 years ago."

Elusive Lady (Van Nistelrooy) pressed early pacesetter Dee's Rose (Straight Man) through splits of :24 and :47 4/5 before taking over through three-quarters in 1:12. She couldn't hold off the winner, though, but was best of the rest while four lengths clear in second. The gray lass paid $5.20 and $3.60 at 4-1 while completing the $186.40 exacta. My Baby Baby (Bernstein) raced in third while four wide for much of the race, and finished in that same spot to give back $2.60 as the 6-5 favorite.

The trifecta was worth $592.40, and Calico Bay (Three Wonders) completed the 5-4-6-3 superfecta that returned $1,094.40. Dee's Rose, Dattts R Girl Addy (Vindication), Unfolding Wish (Gilded Time) and No Use Denying (Maria's Mon) finished out the order under the wire.

Awesome Chic took her maiden debut by 17 1/2 lengths at Suffolk Downs last year, then ended her juvenile season with a third in the Sandpiper S. She earned her first stakes score in her 2008 debut, the Gasparilla S., and was third again in the OBS Sprint S. prior to the Florida Oaks. The three-year-old miss now boasts a 5-3-0-2 career mark having banked $180,260.

Bred in Florida by Westbury Stables, Awesome Chic sold for $100,000 to her current connections as an OBS April two-year-old. She is out of the winning Trading (A.P. Indy), who has also produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Dynaformer. Trading is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 2-placed sire Polish Miner (Danzig) as well as Grade 3 victor Survivalist (Danzig), who was second in the 2005 Wood Memorial S. (G1).

Awesome Chic's great granddam is Con Game (Buckpasser), whose most famous offspring is multiple Grade 1 winner and top sire Seeking the Gold (Mr. Prospector). She's also the dam of Grade 1-winning stallion Fast Play (Seattle Slew).