Race Selections: Grade I Longines Kentucky Oaks

Posted On 02 May 2018

By Rick Francis —-

A field of fourteen 3-year-old fillies head to the starting gate for the 144th Running of the Grade 1
Longines Kentucky Oaks; let’s take a look at the starters.

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Race 11) 1&1/8th Mile. Longines Kentucky Oaks Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR FILLIES, THREE YEARS OLD
Post Time: ( 6:12)/ 5:12/ 4:12/ 3:12

Sassy Sienna (1), Cox/Stevens; sat just off hot paces in each of her two and after failing to catch winner in the Honeybee, Midshipman filly reeled them in last out to win the Grade 3 Fantasy; she’ll need to turn up the speed, but she’s always game.

Coach Rocks (2), Romans/Saez; Oxbow filly exploded past the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks field last out, winning in driving fashion; solid work tab here.

Classy Act (3), Calhoun/Hernandez, B; by Into Mischief, filly stayed close to Monomoy Girl in the G2 Rachel Alexandra but was no match. Sent off as Fair Grounds Oaks favorite, she was caught in the stretch and finished fourth; she’s another with hot works over the Churchill main.

Chocolate Martini (4), Amoss/Castellano; following her claim two back, daughter of Broken Vow has won two straight in the Amoss barn, her last a rallying gut-check score in the Fair Grounds Oaks; knows how to fight in tight quarters.

Wonder Gadot (5), Casse/Velazquez; always knocking on the door, Medaglia d’Oro filly just can’t get in, finishing second twice along with a pair of thirds, all stakes contests; one day she’s going to kick that door in.

Kelly’s Humor (6), Cox/Ortiz, I; Midnight Lute filly showed some sign of life last out in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland, coming from well back to finish a gaining second. I can see another forward in this start, but distance may catch her late.

Rayya (7), Baffert/Van Dyke; by Tiz Wonderful, filly ships in from Dubai, where in her last start she soundly beaten by Derby starter Mendelssohn; concerned how a young filly recovers.

Heavenhasmynikki (8), Quartarolo/Borel; out of Majestic Warrior, she’s yet to demonstrate she can handle sustained pressure, and that’s what she’ll encounter here.

Take Charge Paula (9), McLaughlin/Ortiz, J; by Take Charge Indy, has finished second in last two, including Gulfstream Oaks as the favorite. Trainer with a last out beaten fave hits at a strong 28 percent.

Midnight Bisou (10),Spawr/Smith; a pair of nose seconds to open her racing career are the only starts that blemish a perfect record. Midnight Lute filly enters having won three straight, her last an easy victory in the Santa Anita Oaks. Post position is perfect,and she’s shown to handle any track conditions; obvious win threat.

My Miss Lilly (11), Henning/Bravo; after encountering big time traffic issues two back in the Busher, Tapit filly stayed clear to win the G2 Gazelle in game fashion; that win over the Aqueduct main came at today’s distance, a major plus.

Patrona Margarita (12), Calhoun/Santana; Special Rate filly has been solidly handled by a couple of these in her last two, including twice by race favorite Monomoy Girl; not yet.

Eskimo Kisses (13), McPeek/Lanerie; after her rally came up short by a head in the Fair Grounds Oaks, To Honor and Serve filly stayed on last out finishing a willing but distant second to Monomoy Girl. She’s got racing heart, just think she comes up short again.

Monomoy Girl (14), Cox/Geroux; Tapizar filly is but a neck short of a perfect 6-for-6 record, and enters off a “stylish” score in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland. Post does her no favors, however jockey Florent Geroux knows how to get her inside and she should be within three lengths of the leaders heading into the first turn, and then it’s a horse race.