Affirmative Lady works in company under her regular rider Kevin Lundie. (Maggie Kimmitt photo)
Fourteen Fillies are busy getting in their final preparations for the $1.25 million Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks next Friday.
Derby Update/Keeneland Press Release/Edited
AMO Racing USA’s Affirmative Lady galloped a mile on the main track at Keeneland under Kevin Lundie for trainer Graham Motion Sunday and Monday morning.
The Arrogate filly left Keeneland early Monday morning after training and arrived at Churchill Downs by van in the afternoon.
“Yes, she did. We saw her this afternoon and she seemed very bright,” trainer Motion told Past The Wire via text.
With a full gate of 14 fillies expected to be entered for the Kentucky Oaks, Motion was asked where he would like to see Affirmative Lady begin her 1 1/8-mile journey.
“In a perfect world, between the 5 and 10,” Motion said. [Affirmative Lady drew post number 13]
The seasoned conditioner followed up with us: “Post 13 not ideal but prefer that to an inside post.”
When asked about the filly’s evolving success and maturity Motion commented: [Affirmative Lady] is a very uncomplicated filly and has gone into this race without a hitch.”
Affirmative Lady had her final timed workout for next Friday’s $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs when she went 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 here on a fast track Thursday under exercise rider Kevin Lundie.
“That’s about what she does,” said Motion, who originally targeted Friday for the work but changed plans to avoid the possibility of forecasted rain. “I think it’s about what she did last week. Went off in :13 and finished up nicely. She’s pretty fit.”
Affirmative Lady, who clocked the same distance in 1:01 on April 21 here, is exiting a 2-length victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) Presented by FanDuel TV on April 1. Prior to earning her initial career triumph on Feb. 26 at Gulfstream, she placed in the Demoiselle (G2) and Busanda at Aqueduct.
“I feel like she belongs in the Oaks, and I think for her the (1 1/8-mile) distance is really going to help her,” Motion said. “Honestly, I wish it were a mile and a quarter because I think the further she goes the better. I think we belong to be in there. The timing’s really good. She’s had five weeks (between races), which is perfect.”
After the Gulfstream Park Oaks, Motion chose to send Affirmative Lady to his Keeneland division.
“Keeneland is where we’re stabled right now, and I find it’s a nice atmosphere to train here,” he said. “Churchill’s pretty busy, so I’m very comfortable with her being here. She’ll have to be over there (early) next week, so she’ll get to gallop on the track every day. She’s had a breeze here already. I didn’t really want to move her to another track to have her next breeze. Normally I would have done it tomorrow, but with this weather coming in it looks like we’ve got to do it today. It’s not ideal, but it’s what we got.”
While she has had three different jockeys including Luis Saez, Hall of Famer John Velazquez is named to ride Affirmative Lady in the Kentucky Oaks.
“Johnny has ridden her the most and I have the upmost confidence in him,” Motion said.
Peter Redekop’s And Tell Me Nolies, who arrived at Churchill Downs on Saturday, walked the shedrow Sunday morning and had her first trip to the Churchill Downs track Monday, jogging one mile shortly before 8 a.m.
Winner of the Del Mar Debutante (GI) and Chandelier (GII), the Peter Miller trainee comes into the Kentucky Oaks off a runner-up finish in the Santa Anita Oaks (GII).
Trainer Brad Cox’s trio of Longines Kentucky Oaks runners Botanical, The Alys Look and Wet Paint all galloped about 1 1⁄2 miles Sunday morning and went to the track at 7:30 a.m. to school in the gate before galloping once around the track.
“She can make you a little nervous with her running style, but overall she’s just been really consistent, Cox said pf Wet Pant. “She’ll love the mile and an eighth here. She’s had a great week. Her two works have been fantastic.
“You can usually tell the half-mile or three-eighths pole, if she’s going to put in her run. If she puts in her run, she’s going to be tough. She’s won her last three going away. She’s been so dominate. She’s won on a wet track. On a fast track. She’s closed on a slow pace and on a fast pace. She just brings it every time.”
Cox is also happy with what he is seeing from The Alys Look and Botanical.
“They’re both doing really well,” Cox said. “The Alys Looks is flying under the radar, but I love the way she’s developing.
“Botanical needs to step up on the dirt, but I like what I am seeing. Physically, she looks great. She’s doing really well.”
LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky Farm’s Botanical is likely to be one of the top choices in this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks and will be ridden by local jockey Chris Landeros.
“She’s very talented and she’s already proved that this winter at Turfway when she was perfect from four starts,” Landeros said. “Keeneland’s meet has proved to be a good steppingstone for the Turfway horses. They’ve run very well there, and I think that shows the caliber of horses that stayed this winter at Turfway. That gives you a lot of confidence coming into the Kentucky Oaks.
“Brad (Cox) is very blessed at having all of these talented fillies in this year’s race and even some that won’t run in this year’s race that have shown a lot of promise.
“I’ve been riding for 17 years now. I started when I was 17 years old out west and my career has brought me to the biggest stage here at Churchill Downs. We’ve been here before but I’m glad I’m in this situation now with some more experience under my belt. I’m very anxious to get it going Friday.”
Jockey Flavien Prat will have the mount on likely Oaks morning line favorite Wet Paint while Luis Saez will pilot The Alys Look.
Following Defining Purpose’s “happy half” workout on Saturday of :47 for the four furlongs, the Ashland Stakes (GI) winner walked on Sunday.
Greg Geier, assistant to trainer Kenny McPeek, said she emerged from the breeze in fine shape.
The Cross Traffic filly followed the same training regimen of her stablemate, Derby candidate Sun Thunder, trainer Kenny McPeek said.
“She galloped the same distance, a mile and three-eighths,” McPeek said.
Regular exercise rider Shelby Spalding was aboard the filly, who worked a half-mile on Saturday, timed in :47 for the four furlongs.
John Ropes’ Dorth Vader galloped about 1 1⁄2 miles at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Churchill Downs.
“She was a bit on her toes (Saturday) but that’s kind of who she is,” trainer Michael Yates said. “I’ll probably take her over to the paddock once or twice to get acquainted with things. We’re very excited to be here this week.”
The daughter of Girvin galloped about 1 1⁄2 miles at 7:30 a.m. and visited the paddock Monday.
Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis’ Flying Connection had a walk day for trainer Todd Fincher.
Following training hours, Flying Connection had a paddock schooling session Sunday morning.
The daughter of 2016 Kntucky Derby champ, Nyquist, galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Oscar Rojero on Monday. Trainer Todd Fincher plans to add a visit to the starting gate to Flying Connection’s Tuesday itinerary.
Fincher was asked about a post position draw preference for the Sunland Park Oaks (Listed) winner and the answer came quickly: “I don’t want the 1 or the 14.” [Flying Conection drew post number 10]
Trainer Todd Pletcher’s Kentucky Oaks hopefuls both jogged a mile and three-eighths Sunday morning during the special Derby/Oaks 7:30 to 7:45 training session. Repole Stable’s Gambling Girl, who is guaranteed a spot in the mile and one-eighth headliner Friday, had Carlos Quevedo in the tack. Stonestreet Stables’ Julia Shining, who is two horses away from making the 14- horse lineup, was partnered by Humberto Zamora.
“They both went well,” Pletcher said. “We’re good.”
The trainer was asked for a possible Plan B for the Curlin filly Julia Shining should she not make it into the Oaks lineup.
“Possibly we’d consider the Black-Eyed Susan the day before the Preakness in Baltimore,” he said. “Or we might wait until the Acorn (Stakes) in New York at Belmont (Grade I, $500,000 June 9).”
Both fillies were back trackside Monday morning and galloped about a mile and three eighths. Later they were brought over from the backside to paddock school around 10:15.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Mimi Kakushi was hand-walked in the Quarantine Barn a day after working a half-mile in :50.40 on Sunday.
The City of Light filly jogged a mile alongside a pony and then galloped a mile under stable rider Xavier Ziani Monday morning.
“I am very happy with her,” trainer Salem bin Ghadayer said, then alluding to this afternoon’s Post Position Draw, “I’d like to be in the middle; hopefully not inside.”
Pretty Mischievous galloped on Sunday morning during the special Derby/Oaks 7:30 to 7:45 training period at Churchill Downs. Having put in her final preparatory work ahead of the Oaks on Thursday, the Godolphin homebred has been moving well under exercise rider Albino Martinez and keeping to her schedule.
“She galloped her normal one mile and a half today,” said Charlie Lynch, assistant trainer to Brendan Walsh. “She schooled in the paddock yesterday and it went very well.”
Accompanied by trainer Walsh on pony, Rachel Alexandra-winner Pretty Mischievous made the short walk from Barn 9 to the track at 7:30 a.m. Monday Keeping to her routine, the Godolphin homebred carried her regular exercise rider Albino Martinez one mile and a half across the fast track.
“I’m very happy with her,” Walsh said. “It’s nice to have one in (the Kentucky Oaks) again and give it a go. Everything seems to be going smoothly enough.”
In 2017 Walsh trained the Oaks filly Wicked Lick, homebred by Lee Mauberret, who finished thirteenth to Abel Tasman. Similar to Pretty Mischievous, Wicked Lick finished second in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) in her final prep before the first Friday in May.
After arriving at Churchill Downs safely on Sunday night, Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin’s Promiseher America settled in to Barn 42 on the backside. Accompanied by assistant trainer Rodrigo Montecino, the Gazelle-winner spent the morning taking in her surroundings and walking the shedrow. Trainer Ray Handal is scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon.
Handal has named Jorge Vargas Jr. to ride the daughter of American Pharoah in the Oaks.
Robert Masterson’s Southlawn had routine 1 1⁄2-mile gallops for trainer Norm Casse Sunday and Monday morning at 7:30 a.m.
“I can’t find any reasons why she can’t win,” Casse said. “She’s ready, I’m ready.”
The speedy daughter of Pioneerof the Nile will be ridden in the Oaks by Rey Gutierrez.
After following up her final breeze with two easy days on the track, D.J. Stable’s Wonder Wheel galloped one mile and a half on Sunday morning. In good hands with assistant trainer David Carroll in the boot, Wonder Wheel entered the track at 5:40 a.m. in the Mark Casse barn’s second set.
Carroll reported that Wonder Wheel moved well beneath him and is doing great going into the race. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) champion will keep to the same routine leading up to Oaks day.
The 2-year-old champion filly had a walk day on Monday. With light rain and cold winds blowing through Louisville at her regular morning training time, she stayed dry as she stretched her legs over the shedrow.
Before becoming a trainer in 1992, Carroll worked as an exercise rider for Shug McGaughey. A brilliant exercise rider, Carroll accompanied the 1989 Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer through his morning drills.
On the Bubble: The Also-Eligibles
Richard Bahde’s Taxed (No. 15 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard) galloped a mile and a half under Santurino Vergara for trainer Randy Morse.
Julia Shining (No. 16) and Hoosier Philly (No. 17) are also expected to enter the Kentucky Oaks as also-eligibles.
