Leslie’s Rose out on last Saturday morninglooking fit and fierce. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Longines Kentucky Oaks Update/Edited
The two potential Kentucky Oaks fillies that train out of the Todd Pletcher barn took advantage of the special 7:30-7:45 training session available for runners pointing for the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks.
Whisper Hill Farms’ Leslie’s Rose, who is assured a spot in the 14-horse field for the nine-furlong classic tomorrow, had regular exercise rider Joel Osorio in the saddle. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied, who is on the also-eligible list and will need one defection from the race prior to the 9 a.m. Friday scratch time, had exercise rider Carlos Quevedo aboard.
“She went nice and easy today,” Osorio said of Leslie’s Rose and her mile and a half gallop. “She’s feeling very good.”
Leslie’s Rose will break from post 13 Friday at approximately 5:51 p.m. Regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call.
The second daughter of Into Mischief in the field has won three of four starts including her victory in the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland. Stablemate Candied finished fourth in the race.
Leslie’s Rose and Candied followed pattern Wednesday morning and galloped during the special training session between 7:30-7:45 at Churchill Downs on a lovely Kentucky morning.
The trainer assigned the duo’s regular riders to handle the duties with Joel Osorio on Leslie’s Rose and Carlos Quevedo aboard Candied.
Following their gallops of approximately a mile and one-quarter, the riders jogged their horses into the track’s mile chute and took turns standing them in the starting gate. Pletcher was nearby to see that all went well. Then it was back to Barn 39 for a bath and a snack.
“All’s quiet,” the trainer noted. “Quiet is good.”
Leslie’s Rose, the lukewarm favorite for the classic at 4-1, will break from post 14 in the full field for the nine-furlong Oaks Friday with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr.
Candied is on the outside looking in. She’s on the also-eligible list and will need two defections from the body of the race to be a starter.
Should Candied draw into the race off the also-eligible list, Saez would have that mount. Yates has John Velazquez on standby, if necessary.
Candied has had four starts including the Ashland having won on debut, the filly was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
The 150th Longines Kentucky Oaks Field
