Kentucky Oaks contender Jaywalk poised to 'peak in May'
D. J. Stable and Cash is King’s champion Jaywalk, third in Keeneland's Central Bank Ashland (G1) on April 6, tuned up for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks by working five furlongs Thursday in :59.20 over a fast main track in Lexington, Ky.
With regular exercise rider Lucas Berticelli aboard, Jaywalk galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:12.60. The workout, originally targeted for Friday, was moved up a day to avoid the possibility of an off track from the predicted rain.
“That was exactly what we wanted,” Tyler Servis, son of trainer John Servis, said. “She left (the five-furlong marker) like a bear. She left there running. I had her in 11 3/5 for the first eighth. She looked like she wanted to do it. She galloped out really well.”
Jaywalk, a Keeneland sales graduate, earned the 2018 Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly with victories in the Frizette (G1) at Belmont Park and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs.
In her 3-year-old debut, Jaywalk was fourth in the Davona Dale (G2) on March 2 at Gulfstream Park in her only start of 2019 prior to the Ashland.
From the first crop of the Unbridled’s Song stallion Cross Traffic, Jaywalk arrived at Keeneland March 26 and has been following a schedule similar to that of 2016 Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia. The two fillies share several similarities: Cathryn Sophia raced for Cash is King, was trained by John Servis, was third in the Central Bank Ashland and resided at Keeneland for several weeks prior to moving to Churchill for the Kentucky Oaks.
“We stuck to the same plan, and it seems to be working,” Tyler Servis said. “This has been very beneficial to get out of that South Florida heat (at Palm Meadows training center.) In the Ashland, she showed a big improvement from how she ran in Florida. She keeps getting better, and this has been our plan all along to have her peak in May.”
Plans call for Jaywalk to train at Keeneland Sunday and ship to Churchill around noon.
She is to be ridden in the Kentucky Oaks by Javier Castellano, who also was aboard Cathryn Sophia for her Oaks win. Post positions for the race will be drawn Monday at 11 a.m.