Oaklawn: Quietside takes Oaks qualifier; Banishing wins Mile

Quietside came out the winner of an intense stretch battle with Simply Joking to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Fantasy Stakes and give Shortleaf Stables’ John Ed Anthony, already the winningest owner track history, a record-setting 40th triumph in an Oaklawn stakes race.

The victory also assured Quietside of an invitation to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

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Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Quietside pressed previously unbeaten Simply Joking through fractions of 48.09 seconds for the opening half-mile and 1:12.10 for the opening six panels before the pair engaged in an eye-to-eye struggle down the lane, leaving the rest of the field far behind. Quietside began to edge away just past the eighth pole, winning by three-quarters of a length and covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.31.

Simply Joking finished 8 3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Runnin N Gunnin with Princess Em Too, Kinzie Queen, Princess Aliya, California Sunset, Necessity and Baytown Butterfly completing finish in that order.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Quietside returned $3.80, $2.10 and $2.10. She earned $405,000 with the victory, increasing her lifetime bankroll to $957,200.

Banishing outduels Saudi Crown in Oaklawn Mile

Already a two-time local sprint winner and runner-up in the Razorback Handicap (G3) in his last start, Banishing outdueled Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown through the short stretch to post a one-length victory in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3).

Sent off as the 8-5 second choice in the six-horse field, Banishing raced just off pacesetter Saudi Crown through fractions of 46.01 seconds for the opening half-mile and 1:09.68 for the first six furlongs of the one-mile race. The pair dueled throughout the stretch from there with Banishing exerting some superiority over the final eighth of a mile to win by one length.

A 5-year-old gelding by champion Ghostbuster, Banishing completed the one-mile distance in 1:36.77 on the good-rated dirt track and returned $5.20 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show

Saudi Crown was 9 1/2 lengths in front of third-place finisher The Wine Steward. Dimatic, Just Steel and I’m McDreamy completed the finish in that order. Emmanuel and Payne were both scratched.

Co-owned by Lawrence Roman and trainer David Jacobson, Banishing won for the seventh time in 17 career outings. The $292,500 winner’s share of the purse improved his career earnings to $778,804.