Herman Sarkowsky and Mr. & Mrs. Martin Wygod's 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags) drew gate four and was installed the 5-2 morning-line favorite by Mike Battaglia for Friday's running of the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Bred by Sarkowsky, the bay filly is one of the least-tried runners in the full field of 14 sophomore fillies, with just three starts, but exits the single most dominating performance along the road to the Oaks, an 11-length defeat of Abel Tasman (Quality Road) when last seen in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 8.
“She's come a long way fast and its an obstacle to overcome the crowd with an inexperienced filly, but we'll give it a shot,” said trainer Richard Mandella, in search of a first victory in the race.
Riding a five-race winning skein is Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai), the Kelly Breen-trainee who was made the 9-2 second selection and will break from the 10-post.
“I don't know if I could have drawn it up any better,” Breen said. “If they let me draw the pills and decide who went where, the 10-post is probably the best spot for us. We were the first one drawn and even if the other speed drew outside of us, we could have dictated it from the 10. It's a perfect position for us. Paco [Lopez] is a great gate rider with a good head on his shoulders. He'll be able to see what we're going to have to do.”
The joint third choices are Coffeepot Stables' Farrell (Malibu Moon, post 7), exiting one of the more productive Oaks preps over the last decade, the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, and Abel Tasman (post 13), while Salty (Quality Road) has been pegged as a 6-1 gamble. Also a veteran of only three races, Salty will have to work out a trip from the 14 hole, though the draw was of minimal concern to trainer Mark Casse.
“Well if we got that in the Derby we'd be happy,” he commented. “Our filly doesn't have a lot of speed, she's going to drop over and save some ground.”
Sailor's Valentine (Mizzen Mast), a 22-1 upsetter of the GI Central Bank Ashland Apr. 8 at Keeneland, was given a 30-1 chance on the Oaks morning line and drew post eight.
“It's perfect for her,” trainer Eddie Kenneally said. “I really like the post.”
The field for the GI Kentucky Oaks:
1 Ever So Clever (Medaglia d'Oro), Contreras 20-1
2 Lockdown (First Defence), Ortiz 20-1
3 Mopotism (Uncle Mo), Gutierrez 20-1
4 Paradise Woods (Union Rags), Prat 5-2f
5 Jordan's Henny (Henny Hughes), Rocco Jr 30-1
6 Vexatious (Giant's Causeway), Desormeaux 20-1
7 Farrell (Malibu Moon), Hill 5-1
8 Sailor's Valentine (Mizzen Mast), Lanerie 30-1
9 Wicked Lick (Maclean's Music), Hernandez 30-1
10 Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai), Lopez 9-2
11 Tequilita (Union Rags), Saez 20-1
12 Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), Leparoux 20-1
13 Abel Tasman (Quality Road), Smith 5-1
14 Salty (Quality Road), Rosario 6-1
AE Summer Luck (Lookin at Lucky), No Rider, 30-1
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