Adventuring adds to Godolphin's big day, stamps Oaks ticket
Hours after Godolphin runners scored a pair of high-profile wins in Dubai, Adventuring kept things rolling for the famed Thoroughbred operation by stamping a 2021 Kentucky Oaks ticket.
Adventuring emerged from well back in Turfway Park’s $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks to run down 39-1 long shot Spritz and score under jockey Florent Geroux. The Brad Cox trainee covered one mile over Turfway’s synthetic surface in 1:37.31, returning $7.20 as a 5-2 favorite.
Saturday’s Bourbonette Oaks awarded Road to the Kentucky Oaks points on a 50-20-10-5 scale. Adventuring, Spritz, Candace O and Oliviaofthedesert crossed first through fourth, respectively, to claim the available points.
Adventuring became the Cox barn’s second winner of a Kentucky Oaks prep over the last two weekends, following Travel Column’s Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) score March 20. Cox is chasing his third Oaks triumph over the last four years after winning the event with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Shedaresthedevil in 2020.
Under Geroux, Adventuring settled seventh of 10 along the Turfway backstretch Saturday. Speeding clocked the first quarter-mile in 23.14 before Spritz flew through along the rail to make the half-mile in 46.61.
Spritz opened up a sizable lead while giving Adventuring a target as she rallied three-wide through the turn. Adventuring collared Spritz by the top of the stretch and put the stubborn pacesetter away to win by two lengths.
With Saturday’s victory, Adventuring improved to 4: 2-1-1 lifetime. She entered off a maiden special weight victory Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds in her first start of 2021.
Adventuring joined Rushaway Stakes winner Cave Hill as Godolphin 3-year-olds to win stakes races on Saturday’s Turfway card. Earlier in the day, Mystic Guide claimed the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and Rebel’s Romance the $750,000 UAE Derby (G2) for Godolphin.
Godolphin has another one of its stars racing next week in undefeated Cox trainee Essential Quality. Last year's champion 2-year-old headlines Saturday's $800,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.