Oaks Hopefuls Tune Up
Trainer Larry Jones sent his two GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls out to work Sunday at Churchill Downs, with Grayson Farm’s I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings) going five furlongs in 1:01 and Brereton Jones’s Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection) covering the same distance in :59.60.
“They both did well,” Jones said. “Both jockeys came back grinning.”
I’m a Chatterbox, ridden by regular jockey Florent Geroux, recorded splits of :11.80, :23.80 and :36, with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14.40. The work was the fifth fastest of 32 at the distance.
“It was kind of the way she worked when she first came in [to the Jones barn at Fair Grounds in December],” Jones said. “She got real brilliant in her works down in New Orleans. This was a little slower than she’d been working. I just don’t know if she takes to Churchill as well, but we’ll see.”
I’m a Chatterbox, unbeaten in three starts this term, is coming off a win in the Mar. 28 GII Fair Grounds Oaks.
The GI Ashland S. winner Lovely Maria, who broke off from the half-mile pole with regular rider Kerwin Clark aboard as her stablemate was finishing through the lane, posted fractions of :12, :23.80 and :35.80. Clockers caught her gallop-out time in 1:13.40. The work was the second fastest of 32 at the distance.
“Lovely Maria just worked sparkling,” Jones said. “Every eighth was just getting faster and we’re real happy with her. She’s just getting on her game right now.”
Jones admitted Friday’s Oaks looks like a wide-open affair.
“You could make a case for every horse in this race,” Jones said. “They all have something on their resume that shows they’re capable of winning.”
Regis Racing’s Shook Up (Tapit) worked four furlongs in :49.60 Sunday at Churchill Downs in preparation for Friday’s Oaks. With exercise rider Mike Callaham up, the gray went the quarter in :24.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.40.
“She’s doing well,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Handled it good, didn’t lay in. So all’s well.’’
Shook Up, tabbed a “TDN Rising Star” after a 13 1/2-length maiden win at Fair Grounds in January, is coming off a runner-up effort behind I’m a Chatterbox in the Fair Grounds Oaks.
Asmussen, who won last year’s Oaks with champion Untapable (Tapit), is looking for a big effort from the filly Friday.
“I expect her to run the race of her life,” he said. “And it’s going to take that–at least that.”
Also tuning up for the Oaks, Donegal Racing’s Puca (Big Brown) worked a half-mile in :48.20. Working in company with 3-year-old maiden Japan (Medaglia d’Oro), the filly produced fractions of :12.60, :24.80, :36.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.20. The work was the fifth fastest of 54 at the distance.
“It was very similar to the work a week ago,” trainer Bill Mott commented. “She went much the same. I was hoping that she’d work as well or better and she looked like she finished up her work nicely, but she was all up on the bridle and willing to do it, moving well, galloped out well, came back good.”
Puca, a 16-length maiden winner at Belmont last October, was sixth behind Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She opened her sophomore campaign with a fourth-place effort in the GII Davona Dale S. and is coming off a runner-up effort in the Apr. 4 GII Gazelle S.
“If you look at speed figures she maybe hasn’t been as good as some of the others but visually, between the Breeders’ Cup and her last race being pretty good…if she gets an honest pace that could help,” Mott said.
Stablemate Japan is entered for his third lifetime start in Thursday’s eighth race at Churchill Downs.