Ekati’s Phaeton Eyes Stakes Trifecta in GP Oaks
Already a two-time graded stakes winner at the Championship Meet, Ekati’s Phaeton can become the first horse to win a third in Saturday’s 45th running of the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
The 1 1/16-mile Oaks for 3-year-old fillies is one of nine stakes, seven of them graded, on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the 64th running of the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1). First race post time is noon.
Mshawish and Merry Meadow are the only other horses to win two win graded stakes at Gulfstream this winter besides Phaedrus Flights’ Ekati’s Phaeton, who took the six-furlong Old Hat (G3) Jan. 3 and the one-mile Davona Dale (G2) Feb. 21.
The daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati will try two turns on dirt for the first time in the Oaks. She did travel two turns in her lone turf attempt, the one-mile Our Dear Peggy Stakes last fall at Gulfstream.
“She’s doing outstanding. She has a tremendous amount of speed, and we are seeing if we can lengthen it out,” Kaplan said. “It’s all a progression, and this is a test of two turns. Training-wise, she’s doing well going into this race and she’s learned how to relax a little bit, and I’m hoping we get the two turns without a problem.”
Ekati’s Phaeton led from start to finish in the Davona Dale, holding off Birdatthewire to win by a neck at odds of 26-1 an avenging a fourth-place finish to that rival in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G2) Jan. 24, where she was beaten two necks for second.
“She’s doing very, very well,” Kaplan said. “Speed and talent and heart, she’s got all that. Now we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the ability to not use the speed early and that’s what the two turns is all about.”
Forum Racing’s Birdatthewire returns in the Oaks along with Dale Romans-trained stablemates Cristina’s Journey, winner of the Pocahontas (G2) last year who is making her 3-year-old debut, and Sweet Swingin. The daughter of Street Sense was second in the off-the-turf Herecomesthebride Feb. 28 at Gulfstream.
Birdatthewire broke her maiden to cap her juvenile season and opened this year in the Forward Gal, where she took over the lead at the top of the stretch and drew away to a 3 ¼-length victory. GSN Racing’s Cristina’s Journey was a gate-to-wire winner of the 1 1/16-mile Pocahontas in her second career start before finishing off the board in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Golden Rod (G2).
StarLadies Racing’s Eskenformoney owns two wins at Gulfstream this winter, breaking her maiden by 9 ¾ lengths Dec. 10 and taking an entry-level allowance by 3 ¾ Jan. 16, both at one mile. In her most recent start, she was third by a half-length in the Davona Dale.
“She ran super last time. She just couldn’t quite get by the winner and lost a bob for second,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It seemed like it was hard to make up some ground in the one-turn races that day, so I thought she ran well all things considered.”
Trained by Jose Pinchin for his wife, Tracy, Holywell makes her return to Gulfstream in the Oaks. The Exclusive Quality filly won back-to-back Florida Stallion Stakes in the fall before finishing off the board twice at Gulfstream Park West and again in the Suncoast Stakes Jan. 31 at Tampa Bay Downs to kick off her sophomore season.
“We’re right here so we decided to give it a try. We know she likes it here and she’s not a good shipper,” Jose Pinchin said. “Even when she shipped across town, it kind of upset her a little bit. She’s comfortable here and she’s been working good and doing everything good. She has grown and developed. She might be a little bit overmatched in here but we’ll take our shot.”
Stronach Stables’ Devine Aida takes a four-race win streak into the Oaks, including successive stakes victories at Gulfstream to open her 2015 season. She captured the 7 ½-furlong Ginger Brew on grass Jan. 3, and the 1 1/16-mile Herecomesthebride Feb. 28, originally scheduled for the turf.
Rounding out the field is Danessa Deluxe, a Gulfstream Park West allowance winner who most recently was fourth in the Delta Princess (G3) Nov. 22.
Source: Gulfstream Park