Kentucky Oaks

Swiss Skydiver sprung a mild upset Saturday with a wire-to-wire victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, earning points towards a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks in September. Seizing the early advantage, the 9-1 shot cruised through opening splits of :24.33 and :49.12, shadowed by Lucrezia. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut kept on finding in the lane, pulling clear of her competition to win as she pleased. Lucrezia gamely fended off a late challenge from Lake Avenue to be second. Previously unbeaten favorite Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist) finished...

In the Feb. 29 GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream, two unbeaten fillies squared off while taking the majority of the public support, with the second choice narrow edging the favorite. Saturday, Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist) and Spice Is Nice (Curlin) will do battle again, alongside 10 other 3-year-old fillies, in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks at the Hallandale oval. Rallying to a 19-1 upset on debut for Sabana Farms and Juan Avila here last September, Tonalist's Shape was privately purchased and transferred to Saffie Joseph, for whom she captured a...

No matter what he does, Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) seems condemned always to be the short guy in the back row of the team photo. In the private duel that defines his stud career, moreover, he has to endure Munnings (Speightstown) moving ever closer, year by year, to front and center. These two splendid sires, who started out together at Ashford in 2011, experienced rather typical fortunes last Saturday when dividing the big sophomore tests in New Orleans between them (along with those skilled gentlemen, Brad Cox and Florent...

The GI Kentucky Derby has been rescheduled from May 2 to Sept. 5 and the GI Kentucky Oaks has been moved from May 1 to Sept. 4 due to the coronavirus, Churchill Downs announced Tuesday morning. The dates are contingent upon final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission which is expected Mar. 19. CDI's CEO, Bill Carstanjen, stated: "Throughout the rapid development of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority has been how to best protect the safety and health of our guests, team members and community. As the situation...

Churchill Downs Incorporated will make an announcement regarding the timing of 146th GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET, the company announced Monday. Media, investors and other interested parties may listen to the teleconference by calling (877) 372-0878 and entering the conference ID number 1848836 at least 10 minutes before the appointed time. International callers should dial (253) 237-1169. The Oaks and Derby are scheduled to be run May 1 and 2, respectively, but the feasibility of running them has come into question in...

It was an eventful weekend for candidates for the GI Kentucky Oaks. The highly regarded Lake Avenue (Tapit) was a major disappointment, finishing fourth in the Busher Invitational at Aqueduct. She falls out of the Top 10. Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) rolled to an easy victory in her 3-year-old debut in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. and Bob Baffert unleashed a potential monster in Gamine (Into Mischief). The $1.8-million purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Old Sale romped in her debut Saturday at Santa Anita. The weekend ahead will be...

Super talented 'TDN Rising Star' Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) kicked off her potential trip to the GI Kentucky Oaks with a truly dominant romp in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. at Santa Anita Sunday. The 1-5 favorite, freshened since a runner-up effort in the GI Starlet S. last December, was away awkwardly and forced to bide her time toward the back of the field early. She eventually settled into a more comfortable rhythm while saving ground and creeping up down the backside, and appeared absolutely loaded while traveling in third...

8th-Oaklawn, $90,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 3-8, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.52, ft. LEXI ON THE MOVE (f, 3, Fast Anna--Invalida, by Street Cry {Ire}) took a track-and-trip event restricted to fillies who had previously sold at auction for $60,000 or less by daylight here Feb. 15, and was backed early and often in this tougher spot to go off at even-money. Away on top, the bay sat perched three wide behind a dueling trio through an opening quarter of :21.94. She ranged up ominously after a :45.30 half, and kicked...

2nd-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 3-8, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.67, ft. FOUR GRANDS (f, 3, Honor Code--Taylor S {SW & GSP, $121,519}, by Medaglia d'Oro), backed down to 8-5 favoritism into the face of a pricey Todd Pletcher firster, ran to her backing Sunday for a facile debut victory at Gulfstream against a field of all fellow first timers. Off a half-step slowly from the outside six slot, the bay was pushed along by Luis Saez to chase in third outside of aforementioned Pletcher representative Maggie Fitz (Ghostzapper). She made an early...

Flashy 'TDN Rising Star' Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) makes her sophomore debut in Sunday's GIII Santa Ysabel S. in Arcadia. The $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream grad crushed her competition by 9 1/4 lengths first out sprinting here Sept. 28, and her connections immediately tested deeper waters in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1. Favored in that track-and-trip event, she was a neck second to eventual champion British Idiom (Flashback), and one slot ahead of Bast (Uncle Mo), who came back to upset Donna Veloce in the GI Starlet S....

Since we were last heard from, Bast (Uncle Mo) has been retired due to a soft tissue injury and Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist) did it again, staying undefeated with a win in the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream. Also in Florida, Eve of War (Declaration of War) couldn't get the job done in an allowance after winning her debut for the Todd Pletcher Stable by 7 1/2 lengths. A fourth-place finish likely knocked her off the road to the GI Kentucky Oaks. This coming weekend, the top 3-year-old fillies will...

The 70 Beyer Speed figure Tonalist's Shape earned last time for her GIII Forward Gal S. score might have scared some bettors off of her and onto 'TDN Rising Star' Spice is Nice--who earned an 84 Beyer for her head-turning 12-length debut romp--but the Saffie Joseph, Jr. pupil proved plenty fast as she upped her record to five-for-five and continued her march towards the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. A 19-1 debut winner for Juan Avila and Sabana Racing Stable Corp sprinting here last September, Tonalist's Shape was subsequently sold privately...