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Nyquist’s Lorelei Lee Coast To Coast In Bourbonette Oaks

| 6:05 pm

Some 20 years ago, Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid) parlayed a close third-place effort in Turfway Park’s Bourbonette Oaks into one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Kentucky Oaks, lighting up the tote to the tune of 47-1 on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.

With her victory in this year’s renewal, Skychai Racing’s Lorelei Lee (Nyquist) picked up a valuable 50 points on the Road to the Oaks–for which she was not originally nominated–as she was given a positive ride from a high draw by Fernando de la Cruz and proved not for catching.

A debut winner over six furlongs at this venue Jan. 8 and an allowance third Feb. 21, the bay was stretching out to two turns for the first time. Given a dig after scratching down into the eight hole, Lorelei Lee was nevertheless outfooted to the front by the rail-drawn Cincinnati Trophy heroine Resplendence (Justify), but De La Cruz was intent on making the front and secured that spot midway on the first turn.

The recipient of a nice breather through the middle furlongs and going along under a nice long hold, Lorelei Lee was past the half in a moderate :49.77–an internal quarter in a pokey :25.70–and was showing no signs of stopping as De La Cruz went for her in earnest around the final turn. Resist (Maclean’s Music) and Lovely Grey (Vekoma) shortly thereafter emerged as final-furlong dangers, but Lorelei Lee stuck her neck out to prevail by about three-parts of a length. Trainer Mike Maker confirmed that she would be supplemented to the Oaks, which would mark her first start on a conventional dirt track.

Lorelei Lee is 40th stakes winner for her successful sire and she is the 140th worldwide black-type winner to be produced by a daughter of Tapit. Though the filly’s second dam is void of black-type, the third dam is replete with it, as among Heat Lightning’s 12 winners is champion Stevie Wonderboy–a son of 1999 GII GalleryFurniture.com Stakes (i.e. Jeff Ruby Steaks) hero Stephen Got Even–and GSW & MG1/GISP Theyskens’ Theory (Bernardini).

Marilyn Monroan is also responsible for a 2-year-old colt by Olympiad, a yearling colt by American Pharoah and was most recently covered by Seize the Grey. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

BOURBONETTE OAKS, $300,000, Turfway, 3-21, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m (AWT), 1:44.81, ft.
1–LORELEI LEE, 122, f, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Marilyn Monroan, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Summer Scene, by Belong to Me
3rd Dam: Heat Lightning, by Summer Squall
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Skychai Racing LLC; B-Hot Pink Stables (KY); T-Michael J Maker; J-Fernando De La Cruz. $179,040. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $247,502. *1/2 to Jolting Joe (Mission Impazible), SW, $180,870; and Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown), MGSW & MGISP, $1,712,893.
2–Lovely Grey, 122, f, 3, Vekoma–Knightwithputnam, by Unbridled’s Song. ($75,000 RNA Ylg ’24 KEESEP). O-Go Go Greys Stable LLC; B-Joann Adams & Katy Lee LLC (KY); T-Kelsey Danner. $58,400.
3–Resist, 122, f, 3, Maclean’s Music–Bahama Babe, by Point of Entry. ($145,000 RNA Ylg ’24 KEESEP). O/B-Military Pike Racing Stables LLC (KY); T-Thomas Drury Jr. $29,200.
Margins: 3/4, 1HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 10.99, 2.82, 16.72.
Also Ran: La Ville Lumiere, Bless Her, Resplendence, Scratch It, Beara Peninsula, Wonzee Weather. Scratched: Blazing Brat, Callmeyourmajesty, Maximum Offer.