Kentucky Oaks 134 Update: April 14

TOP STORIES:

- Sherine Goes Wire to Wire in Comely
- Smooth Sailing for Seattle Smooth in Bay Meadows Oaks
- Euphony Pulls Away in Instant Racing at Oaklawn
- Absolutely Cindy Returns in Appalachian

EAST/SHERINE SURPRISES IN COMELY – Zayat Stables’ Sherine, at 13-1 the longest shot in the field of five, posted a wire-to-wire two-length victory Saturday in the $150,000 Comely Stakes (GII) at Aqueduct.

Trained by Anthony Dutrow, Sherine covered the mile over a track labeled as “fast” in 1:37.25. Sherine is a New York-bred daughter of Precise End out of the Red Ransom mare Willa Dear.

Under Alan Garcia, Sherine posted fractions of :22.96, :46.41 and 1:11.20, disposing of Lady Chace, her closest pursuer, after a half-mile. Ready for Fortune, the only filly in the field not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks, rallied to finish second, a neck ahead of Gold Mark Farm’s Elusive Lady, who was another neck in front of Susan Moore’s Zaftig.

WEST/SEATTLE SMOOTH ROMPS IN BAY MEADOWS OAKS – Mercedes Stables’ Seattle Smooth turned the $75,000 Bay Meadows Oaks into a one-horse race Saturday by rolling to a six-length victory over Divine Legacy under North America’s all-time leading rider, Russell Baze.

Trained by Julio Canani, Seattle Smooth is a daughter of Quiet American out of the Seattle Slew mare Our Seattle Star. Seattle Smooth covered the mile and a sixteenth on a fast main track in 1:42.07. Seattle Smooth increased her record to 6-2-1-0  for earnings of $98,660.

Divine Legacy, owned by Al Eisman and Bill Currin, was the lone Kentucky Oaks nominee in the field of six.

SOUTH/OAKS NOMINEES FALTER IN OAKLAWN’S INSTANT RACING – Pin Oak Stable’s Euphony pulled away from Lloyd DeBruycker’s Rasierra in deep stretch to post a half-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The only three Kentucky Oaks nominees in the field, Thomas Van Meter’s Spirit Line, Clifford Grum’s Oh Lovely and Karen Hughes’ Sweet Redeemer, finished sixth, seventh and eighth respectively in the field of nine.

Euphony, a homebred daughter of Forest Wildcat out of the Smart Strike mare Strike It Up, is trained by Donnie Von Hemel. In winning for the first time going around two turns, Euphony covered the mile on a fast track in 1:37.81. Now undefeated in three starts, Euphony has earnings of $85,200.

MIDWEST/FOUR OAKS NOMINEES IN APPALACHIAN – Keith Kinmon’s Absolutely Cindy, who ran sixth in the Ashland Stakes (GI) on April 5 at Keeneland, is one of four Kentucky Oaks nominees entered for Wednesday’s $125,000 Appalachian (GIII) at a mile on the turf at Keeneland.

Winner of the Caressing Stakes on turf at Churchill Downs last fall, Absolutely Cindy beat the boys earlier this year when she won the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park.

Other Oaks nominees in the field include Shadwell Stable’s Alwajeeha, who ran second to eventual Ashland runner-up Bsharpsonata in the Tropical Park Oaks, and Circle C Group Stables’ Magger Bags, second in the record Bedanken Stakes at Fair Grounds. John Perrotta’s Mrs. Petoski is on the also-eligible list.

Awesome Chic Arrives at Churchill Downs – Aurora Racing Stable’s Awesome Chic, winner of the Florida Oaks (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs, arrived at Churchill Downs over the weekend to train toward the 134th Kentucky Oaks on May 2.

A daughter of Awesome Again trained by Rafael Ramos, Awesome Chic brings a record of 3-0-2 in five races into the Kentucky Oaks.  Calvin Borel is scheduled to ride Awesome Chic in the Kentucky Oaks.