A Soiree of Plums
Let’s start with the Prima Donna Stakes and save the best for last. Gran Lioness made a triumphal return to the winners circle on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, earning her second stakes win of the year when she led all the way in the Prima Donna Stakes to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Cutting back to 6 furlongs after finishing third in the 1 1/16 mile Rachel Alexandra Stakes Gran Lioness broke like a bolt from the gate, quickly overtook Garnet Crystals and confidently swept down the backside towards the far turn. Around the turn the Lion Heart filly continued to dominate the pace, sweeping in to the stretch with Lady Giacamo half a length behind. From that point on Gran Lioness opened up a two length lead and continued to pour it on as the wire approached. Garnet Crystals launched a strong move from behind to move into second but was too late to catch Gran Lioness who secured the third win of her career. She continued to gallop out well past the wire, staying ahead of Garnet Crystals the whole time. Gran Lioness has proven herself a game and talented filly all throughout her 7 race career while racing against some of the nation’s best sophomore fillies. Her next start could possibly come in the Beaumont Stakes (gr.2) at Keeneland on April 17th but nothing is definite.
Daisy Devine has now won three of her last four starts and will head straight to the Kentucky Oaks without another prep between, allowing her once again to come in a fresh horse with 6 weeks between races. Whether or not that’s a good move in a race as tough as the Kentucky Oaks we’ll have to wait and see but she handled the 1 1/16 mile distance very well in her first try and continued to gallop out well ahead of St. John’s River.
Plum Pretty started the year with two consecutive third place finishes behind California Nectar and Zazu in the Santa Ynez (gr.3) and Turbulent Descent and Zazu Las Virgenes Stakes (gr.1) which prompted her to start as the 20-1 favorite in the Sunland Park Oaks on Sunday. No one was expecting what came next as the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro pulled off her best Rachel Alexandra impersonation to win going away by 25 lengths. She rated patiently off the pace of Icelain Diva under a tight stranglehold before willingly taking the lead at the half mile mark and opening up from there. She was almost 10 lengths out in front at the 6 furlong marker and kept extending her lead from there, rolling home the easiest of winners in the 1 1/16 mile event. It was like watching a replay of Rachel Alexandra’s spectacular 2009 Kentucky Oaks romp and except for the big difference in the quality of the fields the wins were virtually identical in style. Plum Pretty is no slouch and could just now be coming into her own. If this is a sampling of how good she is going to be Medaglia d’Oro might just have sired lightning on the track twice. On another note, how good does this win make Zazu and Turbulent Descent look now?
Summer Soiree has given Larry Jones one of the most
powerful two-horse Kentucky Oaks punch in history as she sailed to victory in
the Bourbonette Oaks (gr.3) at Turfway Park on Saturday with spectacular ease.
Breaking like a shot at the break Summer Soiree took an easy command in the 1
mile race and never looked back. Taking the field through a slow opening quarter
in :24.84 Summer Soiree breezed through the backstretch under a tight hold by
Gabriel Saez with her ears pricked, looking as comfortable as could be. After a
half that went in :48.42 the daughter of War Front began to ease her way clear
of the field still under a strangle hold, opening up two lengths as she entered
the far turn. Off the turn Summer Soiree was in front by five lengths, then
seven, finally crossing under the wire with ears still pricked a winner by more
than 10 lengths in a hand ride. After winning a 1 1/16 mile allowance at Oaklawn Park to
begin the year in late January Summer Soiree came into the Bourbonette fresh and
much the best. Can Larry Jones train them or what? This guy is coming into the
Kentucky Oaks loaded and he’s not just loaded for bear either, I’d say he’s
loaded for elephant.
[Joyful Victory is still only ranked #33 on HRN's Kentucky Oaks Contenders Rankings page while Plum Pretty is #56 and Summer Soiree is #58]
Who was the most impressive 3-year-old filly of the weekend and will any of them be able to defeat Kathmanblu, Zazu, Joyful Victory and the rest on Kentucky Oaks day?
Photo Courtesy of Pat Lang