Kentucky Oaks 2025: Notes from Wednesday morning training

Churchill Downs provided the following update on the fillies entered in Friday's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

Anna's Promise. Bell Racing’s Anna’s Promise galloped at 7:15 a.m. EDT for trainer Carlos David.

Ballerina d'Oro. Rodeo Creek Racing’s Ballerina d’Oro galloped at 7:15 for trainer Chad Brown.

Brown watched the training session from the five-furlong clocker’s stand.

“She’s doing really well since she got here to Churchill,” Brown said. “We just need a little racing luck to go our way."

Bless the Broken. Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stables’ Bless the Broken galloped a mile and a quarter under Genis Bracho during the 7:15-7:30 training window for trainer Will Walden.

Bless the Broken was second in the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds in her lone off-track start and an off track Friday would not concern Walden.

“Let it rain.” Walden said. “Her pedigree has Uncle Mo and Tapit in it, and she always has kind of shown an affinity for it. I feel that whatever the conditions are, our filly is ready and prepared.”

Drexel Hill, Simply Joking. The duo of Kentucky Oaks fillies who race out of the barn of trainer Whit Beckman took care of business early Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

Drexel Hill will come out of post 4 in the Oaks and have Ben Curtis on her back. Simply Joking will start from post 2 and be handled by Florent Geroux.

Drexel Hill was in Beckman’s first set at 5:30 a.m. and galloped a mile and one half under exercise rider Maurilio Garcia. Simply Joking, who put in the same drill, came out under Garcia in Beckman’s next set.

Early On. C2 Racing Stable, Ken Reimer, Paul Braveman, Timothy Pinch, Bradley Kent’s Early On galloped Wednesday morning for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Five G. Gatsas Stables’ Five G was one of the first horses on the track Wednesday morning, galloping a mile and a half under Raul Alejandro shortly after the track opened at 5:15.

Winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in her most recent start, Five G has not raced on an off track.

“I try not to worry about what I can’t control,” trainer George Weaver said. “But her dad (Vekoma) loved the mud, and she should handle it.”

Vekoma won the Carter Handicap (GI) in the mud by 7 1/4 lengths and his dam, Mona de Momma, won the 2010 Humana Distaff (G1) in the slop at Churchill Downs.

Fondly. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Fondly galloped a mile and half under William Humphrey for trainer Graham Motion during the 7:15-7:30 training window.

Undefeated in two starts, Fondly has not raced on an off track.

Good Cheer. Godolphin’s Good Cheer, the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Kentucky Oaks 151, galloped at 7:15 under Katie Tolbert for trainer Brad Cox.

“All good,” Cox said. “We’re just trying to keep everyone happy for the next couple days.”

La Cara. Tracy Farmer’s La Cara jogged a mile at 6:30 under Kevin Donnis for trainer Mark Casse.

La Cara has raced only once on an off track, with that coming at Churchill Downs in her debut last May.

Quickick. Greenwell Thoroughbreds’ Quickick visited the starting gate and galloped a mile and a half under Rafael Rustrian for trainer Tom Amoss.

Quickick has not raced on an off track.

Quietside. Shortleaf Stable’s Quietside galloped Wednesday morning under Daniel Ortiz, the brother of trainer John Ortiz.

Quietside will break from post 14 in the Oaks.

“I like the post,” jockey Jose Ortiz said. “She likes to be to the outside. Two starts ago she broke a little bit slow, so I have to be aware of that. Overall I like her on the outside. She’s versatile. She can be on the lead or sit off of it. Hopefully she breaks well and allows me to make that decision early in the race to see what we need to do with other speed to the inside.”

Post 14 has produced the Oaks winner in two of the last seven runnings of the Oaks with Pretty Mischievous victorious in 2023 and Monomoy Girl in 2018. Both fillies went on to earn the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old fillies in those years.

Take Charge Milady. Ashland Stakes (G1) runner-up Take Charge Milady galloped at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning with trainer Kenny McPeek and his trusty yellow lab, Sonny, watching on.

Tenma. The daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist went through her usual drill Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs as she continues to move toward her impending battle with 13 rivals this Friday in Kentucky Oaks 151.

She galloped under exercise rider Eric Garcia on a fast strip for trainer Bob Baffert.

The four-time stakes winner will be making her first start outside of California.

“She sure likes to win,” the Hall of Fame conditioner offered as he headed back to barn 33. “But she’s in tough Friday and I’m just not sure how it’s all going to go down. We’ll have to see.”