Kentucky Oaks: Saturday updates include 4 morning breezes

Four Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks contenders, including Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks winner Tenma, worked Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Tenma worked a half-mile on a track rated as good in 48.4 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert.

Other Kentucky Oaks workers were Anna’s Promise, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 over good footing in company, Ballerina d’Oro, who went four furlongs in 48.0 seconds over fast footing, and the undefeated Fondly, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02.2 over a fast track.

Anna’s Promise: Bell Racing’s Anna’s Promise completed her final move prior to the Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:00.40, working to the outside of the John Ortiz-trained Covert Law.

Anna’s Promise worked during the 7:15 a.m. training session reserved for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders and breezed through quarter-mile splits of 12.8, 24.8 and 36.4 seconds. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.6.

Ballerina d’Oro: Rodeo Creek Racing’s Gazelle (G3) winner Ballerina d’Oro completed her major Kentucky Oaks preparation with a half-mile move in 48.0 seconds with exercise rider Kriss Bon in the saddle.

“I thought it was a really good move,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She got over the surface well.”

Flavien Prat has the call in the Oaks.

Bless The Broken: Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stable’s Bless the Broken, back at Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing second in an allowance race on Nov. 15, galloped at 7:15 a.m. EDT under Genis Bracho for trainer Will Walden.

Bless the Broken arrived from Keeneland before noon Friday morning.

Drexel Hill and Simply Joking: Trainer Whit Beckman’s Kentucky Oaks duo of Drexel Hill and Simply Joking had a scheduled walk day following their Friday works.

Five G: Gatsas Stables’ Five G arrived at Churchill Downs at 4:20 a.m. EDT on Saturday morning following a van ride from trainer George Weaver’s winter base at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida.

Fondly: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Fondly worked five furlongs 1:02.2 over a fast track with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for trainer Graham Motion.

Working on her own, Fondly produced fractions of 24.6, 37.6, 1:02.2 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.2.

Undefeated in two starts, Fondly won the Virginia Oaks in her most recent start with Ortiz aboard for the first time.

“I like her a lot,” Ortiz said. “She was good this morning and very comfortable. She’s got a great mind and very professional.”

Fondly will be the least experienced filly in the Oaks with just the two starts.

“It is not something I do with every horse, but her half-brother (Antiquarian) won the (1 1/8-mile) Peter Pan (G3),” Motion said. “She has stepped up in distance every time and I think she can handle it.”

Motion, who will return to Louisville on Wednesday, said Fondly would have gate and paddock schooling next week prior to the Oaks.

Good Cheer: Godolphin’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite Good Cheer had a scheduled walk day at trainer Brad Cox barn following her five-eighths move in 1:00.4 on Friday.

La Cara: Tracy Farmer’s La Cara visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile and half under Kevin Donnis for trainer Mark Casse during the 7:15-7:30 a.m. EDT training window.

Quickick: Greenwell Thoroughbreds’ Quickick galloped a mile and a half under Rafael Rustrian during the 7:15-7:30 a.m. EDT training window for trainer Tom Amoss.

Quietside: Fantasy (G2) winner Quietside arrived at Churchill Downs on Friday afternoon from Keeneland and is stabled in John Ortiz’s barn 3.

Tenma: The Nyquist filly Tenma, a four-time graded stakes winner, put in her final work out for the Kentucky Oaks on Saturday morning on a Churchill strip listed as good when she went through her drill.

Trainer Bob Baffert had rider Martin Garcia up for the move and watched her go through it from the clocker’s stand near the five-eighths pole on the track’s backside.

“He’s good; he can really work one,” said Baffert in reference to the rider who has worked with him on and off for over a decade and will be aboard his colt Citizen Bull in next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. “For a while there, I thought he had a clock in his head. I told him I wanted him to go in 48 (seconds, for the half mile) today, so let’s see how he does.”

Garcia put his filly to the test approaching the three-eighths pole, then took her a furlong past the wire. Baffert clicked his watch at 48.4 at the conclusion and said he was pleased. Subsequently, the track’s clockers gave Tenma an official 48.4 seconds and noted an out time of 1:01.0.

Tenma will be one of the favorites for the Kentucky Oaks. Baffert has named California’s leading rider Juan Hernandez to do the driving that afternoon.