Calling for Turbulence
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A healthy 117 3-year-old fillies have been nominated to
the 137th Kentucky Oaks. Leading the pack of nominees is undefeated
2010 Champion Two Year Old Filly Awesome Feather. Currently the undefeated
champ is under light exercise after having suffered a non-career threatening
tendon injury. It remains to be seen if she can progress quickly enough to make
the Kentucky Oaks field but it is doubtful as of now. Other well known names on the list include leading
Kentucky Oaks contender Kathmanblu as well as Zazu, Turbulent Descent,
Dancinginherdreams, R Heat Lightning, It’s Tricky and Tell A Kelly, but two of
those names will be garnering more attention than all the rest put together
this weekend. Turbulent Descent and Zazu are set to renew their rivalry
Saturday with several capable fillies joining the fray.
The Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on March 5th has
drawn a small but very talented field of five sophomore fillies. Just one of
those entered is not a graded stakes winner and of the remaining four three are
Grade 1 winners. Leading the field in the 1 1/16 mile race are Grade 1 winners
Turbulent Descent, Zazu and A Z Warrior.
The Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. 1) on February 5th
resulted in the first loss of Turbulent Descent’s young career when she
finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Zazu. If trainer Mike Puype has his way his
talented young charge will be returning to the winner’s circle for the first time
since her win in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr.1) last December in this
Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks. Puype says that Turbulent was short in the Las
Virgenes and states she will “improve significantly” this weekend. She has turned in two works since finishing second in the
Las Virgenes Stakes last month. The first was a brilliant 5 furlong move in
:58.80 at Hollywood Park on February 21st, a bullet move that turned
many heads. Her last work on Monday came in a less flashy 1:00.60 for the five
furlongs, but still a very solid time, she will be much sharper in the Santa
Anita Oaks than she was in the Las Virgenes.
Zazu snapped a three race losing streak in the Las
Virgenes when she launched an impressive rally from well back to defeat
Turbulent Descent in the Grade 1 event. She had previously finished well behind
her opponent in both the Hollywood Starlet and Moccasin Stakes in 2010 before
finishing a close second to California Nectar in the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr.2)
to begin the year. Her record has shown progress in each of her last four
starts and it should only continue in the Oaks. Her last work when she went 6
furlongs in 1:12.40 on Sunday was excellent.
A Z Warrior is the most intriguing entry in the field.
Last year the talented filly broke her maiden at first asking for trainer Bob Baffert
at Hollywood Park in July when she easily defeated Rigoletta. In her second
start A Z Warrior finished second with a good rally to Wickedly Perfect in the
Sorrento Stakes (gr.3). Next she finished 5th in the Darley
Debutante and then proceeded to take Belmont Park by storm, winning the Grade 1
Frizette Stakes over R Heat Lightning in a hand ride, geared down approaching
the wire. She finished last of 12 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies due to
a bruised foot in early November and has been on the sidelines since, slowly
working her way back. On Monday she turned in a five furlong work in :59.60 and
before that she posted two consecutive bullet moves. She is definitely fit.
May Day Rose is the second runner entered in the Santa
Anita Oaks field and the front running filly will break from post position
number one. She started the year out with a bang, winning the Grade 3 Santa
Ysable Stakes over a very small field at the same 1 1/16 mile distance as the
Oaks. In the Las Virgenes Stakes May Day Rose was bumped coming out of the
gate, proceeded to duel with California Nectar through suicidal fractions
before taking over the lead around the far turn and then faded to finish
fourth. She will no doubt be setting the pace in the Oaks and she comes in off
a bullet five furlong move in :57.80 at Santa Anita last week.
[Check out HRN's 2011 Kentucky Oaks Contender rankings where Turbulent Descent, Zazu, May Day Rose and A Z Warrior all rank in the Top 10]
In post position number four is the only filly without a
graded stakes win on her resume in the Santa Anita Oaks field. Kilograeme is undefeated
in two starts, a maiden win and a first level allowance win, both at Santa
Anita. She defeated the well regarded Rumor in her last start, running on late
to snag the victory. She is taking a huge step up in class.
It’s a small field that comprises the 2011 edition of the
Santa Anita Oaks but one that is certain to have a big impact on the 2011
sophomore filly division and the Kentucky Oaks. Turbulent Descent could once
again start as the favorite Saturday and it is more than likely that her
performance will be far better than her Las Virgenes Stakes run. She definitely
received good conditioning from her game second place finish to Zazu and will
be much sharper and produce a more sustained rally in the Oaks. Zazu should
also improve off her Las Virgenes win and be right there at the finish but
Turbulent Descent may have an edge. A Z Warrior is a tough one to place here
but even if she’s as good as she was last year she will probably need to get
this race under her belt before producing her best effort. May Day Rose could
be all alone on the lead and being able to set her own pace should keep her
much closer in contention down the homestretch but she’s probably not going to
be able to hold off the closing kicks of Turbulent Descent and Zazu. Kilograeme
should probably enjoy her undefeated status while she can. Unless she’s the
freak of the year I don’t think there’s chance she’ll win the Oaks.
Photo Courtesy of Benoit Photo
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