Fiona’s Magic looking perky for her work. (Coady Media/Churchill Downs)
Longines Kentucky Oaks Update/Edited
Stonehedge LLC’s homebred Fiona’s Magic jogged a mile and visited the paddock under Alejandro Mariano Thurbday.
“Our on-track training is done,” trainer Michael Yates said. “She won’t go to the track in the morning.”
A winner of three of six starts, including the Davona Dale (GII), Fiona’s Magic will exit post 7 under Luis Saez, who will be aboard for the first time.
“I just want to see her break clean and go from there,” Yates said of what he was looking for Friday.
Should Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied draw into the race off the also-eligible list, Saez would have that mount. Yates has John Velazquez on standby, if necessary.
With Alejandro Mariano was aboard Fiona’s Magic had her morning routine switched up a bit Wednesday morning by trainer Michael Yates.
“Instead of breaking off when she came on the track, I took her over to the front side to let her get a look at all the people (for Dawn at the Downs),” Yates said. “Then she galloped about a mile and three-eighths.”
She carries 30-1 morning line odds into the Oaks.
The St Patrick’s Day filly broke her maiden on second asking at Gulfstream Park mid-November drawing away in by seven lengths in the six-furlong contest.
Fiona’s Magic followed up with an assertive allowance optional claiming victory going gate-to-wire by 2-1/2 length on Dec. 7 going half a furlong farther.
Moving up to graded stakes company Feb. 3 in the Grade 3 Forward Gal the plucky filly would take the lead and set the pace but isn’t quite ave enough to stave off the rally of R Harper Rose settling for second by two lengths going seven panels.
Fiona’s Magic would score her first Grade 2 with the Davona Dale March 2. Under Tyler Gaffalione. she went to the lead and held, then fought off the advances of Kentucky Oaks challenger Into Champagne to prevail by half a length.
The results were not so admirable in the Gulfstream Park Oaks where the filly face several Kentucky Oaks challengers.
The formidable Power Squeeze would take the prize over Ways and Means with Info Champagne in show.
Fiona’s Magic prompted the pace in the four path but backed up around the far turn and finished eighth.
The 150th Longines Kentucky Oaks Field
