Competitive Field Draws for Oaks

A full field of 14 sophomore fillies and one also-eligible was drawn Tuesday morning for the 
$1-million GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs. 

The GII Fair Grounds Oaks has provided the winners of four of the seven and five of the last 10 runnings of the Friday feature, with Larry Jones saddling Proud Spell (Proud Citizen, 2008) and Believe You Can (Proud Citizen, 2012) for former Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones. Carolyn and Fletcher Gray’s I’m A Chatterbox (Munnings) will have a chance to add to a couple of those totals as the likely favorite come post time. A maiden winner in three starts at two for trainer Ken McPeek, the chestnut filly has flourished under the care of Larry Jones, with three decisive wins in as many tries, including a 2 1/2-length success over Regis Racing’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Shook Up (Tapit) and Forever Unbridled(Unbridled’s Song) in the Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 28. I’m A Chatterbox drew decently in gate eight, while Forever Unbridled drew the rail and Shook Up will start from post number two. 

“It’s better than being No. 15,” Forever Unbridled’s conditioner Dallas Stewart said with a smile, referring to the number for an also-eligible runner. 

Steve Asmussen, the trainer of Shook Up, offered, “I think the draw is extremely important, but you don’t know how important until after the race runs. It’ll be according to how everybody acts, how they get away from there, and the run to the first turn. And several horses will be compromised every year in a field of this size. I feel it’s an extremely deep and competitive Oaks, and the winner will get the trip that they need to win.” 

Governor Jones will have two chances to add to his trophy case with fillies by Airdrie sires. Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection) will attempt to give 53-year-old jockey Kerwin Clark a career best as she looks to validate her winning form from the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 4, where she had Siena Farms’s Angela Renee (Bernardini) some 3 1/4 lengths back in second. With his long-time associate Timothy Thornton, Jones also campaigns Include Betty (Include), who earned her way into the Oaks with a neck defeat of Gary and Mary West’s Oceanwave (Harlan’s Holiday) in Oaklawn’s GIII Fantasy S., responsible for producing 2010 Oaks victress Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision).

“At least I won’t have to run back and forth between them to saddle,” Jones said. “Of course, that means we’re first to load in the middle but that’s OK, we can live with that. Now I just have to keep my two jockeys from interfering with each other.” 

“Both horses are very full of life, very eager to go about their work,” Jones continued of his duo’s progress. “I actually had to discuss it with them to get them to pull up a little bit early because I didn’t want to do their normal routine. Now we’re getting to the point where we shorten it up and start trying to get the ‘feel-good’ into them. I think we’re there.” 
Stellar Wind (Curlin) looks to continue her winning ways for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. Purchased privately out of a Laurel maiden win Dec. 18, she has been flawless in two runs in California with victories in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. and a romping success in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 4. Victor Espinoza has the mount from the 12 hole in what could be a banner weekend for the rider. 

Florida form is represented by Birdatthewire (Summer Bird), a maiden winner at Churchill Downs last November and exiting a 1 1/4-length defeat of Eskenformoney (Eskendereya) in the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 28. 
“With her running style, coming from out of it, it doesn’t make a lot of difference,” trainer Dale Romans said of Birdatthewire.

 The Rudy Rodriguez-trained Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful) will represent the East coast’s best chance Friday. The dark bay took the GI Spinaway S. as a juvenile and enters the Oaks off a three-race win streak that includes the GII Demoiselle S. and GII Gazelle S. She drew the five hole and is given a 4-1 chance on the morning line. 

“I really don’t worry about the post,” Rodriguez explained. “She’s pretty much a speed horse, so we’ve only got one way of going. But I like the five-hole, that’s for sure. It’s one of my favorites. Even when I was riding it was one of my favorites, and it still is. I don’t worry about the odds. That’s not me. That’s them. We’ve just got to try to keep the horse happy and healthy and take it from there.”