Kentucky Oaks Day Selections
April 29th, 2010By Jude T. Feld
For Kentucky Derby Day Selections click here.
1st Race) There are lots of things to like about DIAMOND SONG in the Kentucky Oaks Day opener. She excels at seven furlongs, she’s shown a liking for Churchill Downs and she’s drawn the advantageous outside post position. All she needs is a patient ride from jockey Robby Albarado to get the job done here.
2nd Race) Trainer Ian Wilkes usually races his horses into shape. ISLAND BOUND has had two seven-furlong preps at Gulfstream Park to set her up for this one-turn mile event. The daughter of Speightstown ran second last time out and slight improvement could find her posing for pictures this afternoon. KAREN ANN showed some talent in her Keeneland debut and retains the services of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux. She should relish the added distance of today’s race and should be a decent price.
3rd Race) HYBRID is bred top and bottom for the grass. He made a nice move on the turn in his first trip to the post but flattened out a bit late. With that race under his belt, the son of Dixie Union from a Zamindar mare should move forward in this wide-open maiden event. GIGANTOS exits a key race at Gulfstream Park. The four-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway has posted two excellent workouts since that effort indicating the “light bulb†may have come on for him. Look for a big improvement.
4th Race) SOUMA absolutely blitzed her maiden foes last time out, earning a big speed figure in the process. A repeat of that performance should be all she needs to take this field wire-to-wire. FUZZY BRITCHES knows how to win races. The daughter of Pollard’s Vision has an excellent pressing style that should suit her well in this spot. Top California jockey Joel Rosario only enhances her chances.
5th Race) FOREST TRAIL is in good form and owns the best turf rating. She was finishing best of all in her last start at Keeneland, but came up a length short. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is off to a good start at this meeting and he should have the Forest Wildcat mare ready to fire her best shot. DANZON has rejuvenated her career since being transferred to sharp trainer Kellyn Gorder. She drew a rotten post for this race but having one of the nation’s leading riders, John Velasquez, in the saddle could easily negate that issue.
6th Race) Forced into rushing her training last time out, trainer Steve Asmussen ran a short RACHEL ALEXANDRA. With an extra 48 days under her belt, there will be no mistakes for the reigning Horse of the Year this afternoon.
7th Race) Jockey Robby Albarado rode three excellent entrants in this race when they won at Keeneland. He opts to ride the Wesley Ward-trained NINA FEVER, a daughter of Borrego. That speaks volumes. TWELVE PACK SHELLY crushed a six-horse field at Laurel Park in her debut and ran hellaciously fast, earning a massive 108 Brisnet speed figure. She is definitely the horse to beat. FINAL MESA, another Ward trainee, easily defeated some highly regarded foes when she broke her maiden. It wouldn’t be shocking to see her in the winners’ circle.
8th Race) Turf sprints often play like roulette wheels, as the break and the trip mean everything. SILVER TIMBER will probably go favored by virtue of his Shakertown (G3) victory at Keeneland but he is no cinch to win. CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE, STARFISH BAY and FORMIDABLE are all solid foes and there are a few others entered that could have a say in the outcome. If I had to pick one it would be FORMIDABLE. He has been on a roll for Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens and proved he could handle the grass last time out.
9th Race) The Alysheba (G3) is the toughest race on the card. A case could be made for any of the nine entrants, so take your best hold. I’ll be passing except to hit the “ALL†box in my pick four.
10th Race) Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella really wanted to run SETSUKO in the Kentucky Derby (G1) but the lack of graded earnings finds his charge in the American Turf (G2) instead. If Mandella thought he could win the Derby then the son of Pleasantly Perfect should be double-tough here. ALFARABI had a horrid trip four wide in the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland. Jockey Corey Nakatani takes over from Kent Desormeaux and if he can work out a better trip, the Eoin Harty trainee could find success in another very contentious field.
11th Race) IT’S TEA TIME should have won the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland. She has already had success at a mile and an eighth and her trainer, Rusty Arnold, thinks she is a world-class filly. A tad light in experience, we’ll take the big price and hope she improves enough to get the job done. BLIND LUCK has a great closing kick in a field laden with early speed. She will be the heavy favorite and deservedly so, with three Grade 1 victories gracing her past performances. She will be very tough to beat.
12th Race) READY TO SING exits a Fair Grounds maiden special weight race where she ran second and earned a speed figure eight points better than par for the level. The daughter of sensational international sire More Than Ready will beat this field like a drum if she repeats that race.
