Intricate

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--A long-term plan and a recent decision brought California-based, Indiana-prepped Chatalas (Gun Runner) the rest of the way across the continent to run in the GI $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Feeling that she is better on dirt, her owners and trainer Mark Glatt decided last winter to avoid grass racing and point her to 3-year-old filly stakes in the Midwest and East. In her first start in seven months, Chatalas won the GIII Indiana Oaks by a head on July 6. Four weeks later, when...

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: a 3-year-old filly in the Godolphin blue captured the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds to earn 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. So far, Tarifa (f, 3, Bernardini--Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) is following the script laid out last year by Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) perfectly. Like her year-older fellow Godolphin homebred, she, too, was named a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut. In a replay of last year, she, too, won the Rachel Alexandra for her first graded...

Churchill Downs' ban of Bob Baffert and the decision by his owners to keep their horses with the trainer, even though that means they cannot run at Churchill, will affect not just the Derby. Though Baffert's group of 3-year-old fillies is not as deep or as impressive as his collection of 3-year-old colts, he does have some fillies that, in a normal year, would be Oaks candidates. He has GII Starlet S. winner Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon). But his best filly may be Kinza (Carpe Diem), who rocketed to...

Last year, no one seemed prepared to head to the head of the class when it came to the group of 3-year-old fillies heading to the GI Kentucky Oaks. Eclipse Award winner Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) was defeated in her two preps for the Oaks and finished out the year at 0-for-4 before being retired. Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) failed to live up to the considerable hype and never even made it to the Oaks. The regally bred Julia Shining (Curlin) went 0-for-2 in her preps and also failed to...

Intricate (Gun Runner), a last out maiden winner going two turns at Keeneland Oct. 13, picked up 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a sensational score in Saturday's GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs. It was 5 1/4 lengths back to favored 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in second. Central Avenue (Street Sense), second behind unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Just F Y I (Justify) in the GI Frizette S., was third. "She's a very easy filly to train and does...

8th-Keeneland, $96,906, Msw, 10-13, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:47.33, ft, 3 1/2 lengths. INTRICATE (f, 2, Gun Runner--Complex Analysis, by Distorted Humor) made belated progress to finish a never-nearer fifth, beaten just over two lengths, on six-furlong debut at Churchill Sept. 16, and was the 2-1 second choice stretching out to a distance of ground for the first time. Prominent through the opening exchanges, the chestnut eased back to sit midfield, but close, as they turned up the backstretch. Steered out into the four path entering the second bend, Intricate...