Ky. Oaks prep: In only 2nd start, Fondly finishes 1st in Virginia

Making just her second career start, Fondly passed the class test wearing down her front-running foe Anonima late in the stretch Saturday to win by a half-length over the late-kicking Early On in the $250,000 Virginia Oaks, a Colonial Downs points prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, trained by Graham Motion and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Fondly covered the 1 1/16 miles around one turn in 1:42.51 on the fast main track.

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After breaking sharply, Ortiz settled Fondly outside eager Anonima, who led the ranks through opening quarters of 23.49 and 46.58 seconds. The 3-year-old fillies kept close company through the turn, but in the stretch Anonima spurted away from Fondly. While their chasers You’ll Be Back and Icona Mama began to tire, Fondly kept finding more and doggedly ran down Anonima, wresting away the advantage in the deep stretch and holding off the late heroics of Early On. 

“It was only her second start, and we knew she could get the distance, but I didn't want to use her energy early if I didn't have to,” Ortiz said. “Last time she missed the break a little bit, but today she broke good, put me in a good position, and when the horse inside started to show speed, I let her go and stuck second. Down the stretch she kept coming all the way to the wire.”

Anonima stayed on for third. Icona Mama held on for fourth, and You’ll Be Back ran fifth. Low Key rounded out the order of finish in the field of six.

Scoring in her first Oaks prep, Fondly earned 50 qualifying points, putting her in fourth place on the leaderboard. Early On picked up 25 points, and Anonima scored 15. You’ll Be Back pocketed 10 Oaks points, and Icona Mama added five for a new total of nine qualifying points.

Sent off as the post-time favorite, Fondly returned $4.40, $3.00, and $2.40. Early On paid $3.60 and $2.80. Anonima returned $3.00.

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, Fondly was sired by Upstart and is out of Istan mare Lifetime Memory. Perfect in two starts, Fondly upped her bankroll to $169,200.