Kentucky Oaks notes: One day out, contenders have final tune-ups

Thursday was the final day of training for many competitors in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

CLAIRIERE, PAULINE’S PEARL – Stonestreet Stables’ homebreds Pauline’s Pearl and Clairiere both hit the track early Thursday morning, well before the 7:30-7:45 allotted Derby and Oaks training period, and got in light gallops straight off the gap for trainer Steve Asmussen.

COACH, TRAVEL COLUMN – OXO Equine’s Travel Column had her final preparation for Friday’s Longines Kentucky Oaks with a spirited 1 ½ mile gallop at 5:15 a.m. with Fernando Espinoza aboard.

Her stablemate, Kueber Racing’s Coach, galloped 1 ½ miles with Mario Garcia in the boot.

“That’ll do it,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Let’s get it done.”

Cox will attempt to win his third Kentucky Oaks in the last four years after accomplishing the Run for the Lilies in 2018 with Monomoy Girl and 2020 with Shedaresthedevil.

COMPETITIVE SPEED -- John Minchello’s Competitive Speed jogged a mile under exercise rider Anthony Gallo to complete her Oaks training for trainer Javier Gonzalez.

Competitive Speed will be ridden in Friday’s Oaks by Chris Landeros who will be hopping aboard for the first time.

“We do it all the time; it’s just this is a bigger race,” Landeros said of the race being the first time aboard a horse. I did the same thing with Bodexpress (in the 2019 Kentucky Derby).”

The day before he rode Bodexpress, he had finished fourth in the Oaks on Champagne Anyone.

“She has run in the same series of races at Gulfstream as Champagne Anyone,” Landeros said of his Oaks mount. “I have watched replays of her races. She had a wide trip in Gulfstream Park Oaks, got fanned five wide and still ran on to only get beat by four lengths. That was a gutsy effort.”

Competitive Speed will break from post 12 in the field of 13.

“I’d like to see her in mid-pack early after moving closer to the rail,” Gonzalez said. “Then have Chris tip her out to make her run. She likes it better outside.”

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL – Phoenix Thoroughbred LTD’s Crazy Beautiful was on the sealed track in between showers Thursday. The winner of the Gulfstream Oaks (G2) appeared along with other Derby and Oaks contenders, including stablemate King Fury, when the 7:30 a.m. training period began. She galloped a few lengths ahead of her stablemate, following the same 1 ½-mile regimen with exercise rider Danny Ramsey called for by trainer Kenny McPeek.

“She’s doing super,” Ramsey said. “After she wins, I want the TV cameras to zoom in on me and listen to me singing.”

MALATHAAT – Oaks favorite Malathaat was out for her early exercise at 6 a.m. with her usual partner, exercise rider Amelia Green, perched smartly on her back. Green, an Englishwoman by birth and an employee of trainer Todd Pletcher for the past four years, guided the daughter of Curlin through a steady gallop of a mile and one-eighth before heading back to Barn 42.

Pletcher had concern about an approaching storm, so he got his filly – along with his four Derby colts – out early to take care of business. Though their exercise was conducted over a sloppy Churchill Downs strip thanks to overnight rains, they all got to stay dry Thursday ahead of whatever the weatherman had drummed up for later in the morning.

Malathaat has been hung the 5-2 favorite for the 147th edition of the Kentucky Oaks and will start her mile and one-eighth journey out of post nine in the 14-horse field. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will be her rider for the big one.

MARACUJA – Beach Haven Thoroughbreds’ Maracuja jogged 1 ½ miles with the pony early Thursday morning for trainer Rob Atras, who is scheduled to arrive Thursday afternoon. The daughter of Honor Code went out around 6 a.m., as Atras’ wife and assistant Brittney, was hoping to beat the rain. Maracuja has continued to handle her new surroundings like a seasoned pro, and with a late post for the Oaks (5:51 p.m.), may even have a bit light exercise Friday morning as well.

“She was really good again and we might even end up training tomorrow,” Atras said. “We don’t usually train on race days, but we also don’t usually have a 6:00 p.m. post, so we’ll play accordingly after Rob gets in. If it’s not sloppy and sealed we may do a little something.

MILLEFEUILLE – Juddmonte’s Millefeuille galloped a mile and three-eighths under exercise rider Ailsa Morrison.

Trainer Bill Mott, who is seeking his first victory in the Oaks, has not decided whether Millefeuille would go to the track in the morning.

With one scratch from the original field of 14, Millefeuille will be exiting post 13 under Joel Rosario, who, like Mott, is seeking his first Oaks victory.

If recent history is any indicator, the outside portion of the starting gate is the place to be. From 2016 to 2019, when the Oaks had a 14-horse field the winners all came from outside draws.

In 2016, Cathryn Sophia and Land Over Sea ran 1-2 out of posts 12 and 13, respectively, Abel Tasman won from the 13 in 2017, Monomoy Girl from the 14 in 2018 and Serengeti Empress from the 13 in 2019.

MORAZ – Trainer Michael McCarthy sent his Kentucky Oaks filly Moraz trackside during the 7:30-7:45 special training period that is limited to runners in Friday’s Oaks or Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. He had her usual exercise rider – the Ukrainian horsewoman Olha Krushevska – in the tack and the pair stayed close to the rail on a sloppy surface as they covered a mile and three eighths on the big Churchill oval.

McCarthy was asked how he was feeling about his daughter of Empire Maker the day before her date in the $1.25 million Run for the Lilies.

“I’m very happy; very, very happy,” the 49-year-old horseman said. “I have an extreme amount of faith in her.”

Moraz never has been worse than third in her five lifetime starts – all around two turns – and she is stakes placed in her last three outings. She will break from post eight the nine-furlong Oaks and will have the saddle services of California’s top rider, Flavien Prat. 

PASS THE CHAMPAGNE – The husband and wife team of George Weaver and Cindy Hutter continued their daily routine with Kentucky Oaks hopeful Pass the Champagne Thursday morning. Weaver ponied the filly and Hutter out to the track and then watched as the pair galloped 1 ½ miles over the sloppy track.

Weaver and Hutter will be starting their first horse in the Kentucky Oaks, but are no strangers to the big race events. Both worked for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas before going to work for two-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer Todd Pletcher.

“It feels great,” Weaver said when asked about having his first Oaks starter. “It will feel even better if she wins. The filly is doing really well.”

SEARCH RESULTS – Klaravich Stables’ Search Results jogged Thursday morning for trainer Chad Brown, who has mentioned throughout the week that he’s been impressed with how the undefeated daughter of Flatter has handled the main track.

WILL’S SECRET – Willis Horton’s Honeybee (G3) winner Will’s Secret had her final training session prior to Friday’s Oaks with a 1 ½-mile gallop for trainer Dallas Stewart.

“She showed how talented she was this winter in Arkansas and ran a good race at Keeneland. I think she can return to the Honeybee form in the Oaks. She’s live,” Stewart said.