Kentucky Oaks prep: Muhimma, La Cara meet in Ashland
Muhimma and La Cara headline a field of eight 3-year-old fillies Monday at Keeneland in the 88th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland Stakes, the last points prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The 1 1/16-mile, main-track test was postponed three days because of storms that flooded parts of Kentucky.
The Ashland is the first Grade 1 race of 2025 for 3-year-old fillies and offers 100-50-25-15-10 Oaks points to the top five finishers. The first- and second-place finishers are guaranteed of getting to the run for the lilies May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Fourteen fillies have won both the Ashland and Kentucky Oaks, the most recent being Malathaat in 2021.
Trained by Brad Cox, Muhimma has won three of her four career races and enters the Ashland off a third-place finish in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn on Feb. 23. Her resume includes a victory in the Demoiselle (G2) to close her 2024 campaign. Flavien Prat has the mount on Muhimma and will start from post 4.
Two-time stakes winner La Cara comes into the Ashland off a runner-up finish in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 1 for trainer Mark Casse. Winner of the Pocahontas (G3) in September at Churchill Downs, La Cara opened her 2025 campaign with a 6 1/4-length victory in the listed Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 8. Dylan Davis has the mount from post 2.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Running Away brings a two-race winning streak into the Ashland with the most recent victory coming in the Busanda at Aqueduct on Jan. 18. Gerardo Corrales has the mount from post 5.
Look Forward invades from California for trainer Michael McCarthy. Winner of the listed Santa Ynez at Santa Anita on Jan. 5, Look Forward finished seventh in her most recent outing in the Honeybee on Feb. 23. Mario Gutierrez retains the mount from post 1.
Take Charge Milady, trained by three-time Ashland winner Kenny McPeek, won the listed Martha Washington at Oaklawn by 5 3/4 lengths on Jan. 25. In her most recent race she was 10th in the Honeybee. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount from post 6.
The Ashland is the ninth of 10 races Monday at Keeneland. The first post is at 1 p.m. EDT. The Ashland is scheduled to start at 5:16 p.m.