Kentucky Oaks

As first reported by DRF's Nicole Russo, Take Charge Milady (Take Charge Indy) is a question mark for next week's GI Kentucky Oaks after she developed a foot abscess and the team continues to try to get it squared away before the looming deadline. Entries for the Kentucky Oaks, set for May 2, were taken Saturday morning with post position being drawn later in the day. According to trainer Kenny McPeek, the entry was submitted, and the plan will be to wait and see what kind of week it turns...

The ladies joined the colts as final preparations commenced not just for the GI Kentucky Derby next weekend, but the GI Kentucky Oaks as well, with Tenma (Nyquist) leading the parade Saturday morning. With Martin Garcia in the saddle for the four-furlong work over a 'good' track, the Bob Baffert trainee went through her paces in a final clocking of :48.40 from Baffert, and later confirmed by the track clockers. Tenma's five furlong gallop out was noted as 1:01. "He's good; he can really work one," said Baffert before the...

A pair of Keeneland-based contenders for the May 2 GI Kentucky Oaks each drilled four furlongs over the Keenelanf main track Wednesday morning. Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stable's Bless the Broken (Laoban), last-out winner of the Listed Bourbonette Oaks over the Turfway Poly Mar. 22, covered the distance in :48 flat (6/43) in the company of her thrice-raced Will Walden stablemate Bermuda Triangle (Justify) in splits of :11.60 and :24.80 before galloping out five-eighths of a mile in 1:01 according to Keeneland clockers. "It was good; we weren't trying...

Beginning Thursday morning, Apr. 24 and through Wednesday, Apr. 30, Churchill Downs will be open to the public from 6:45 to 10 a.m. at no cost to take in the morning exercise sessions of horses pointing to the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks. Training hours at Churchill Downs take place daily between 5:15 and 10 a.m., but there is an exclusive window reserved for Derby and Oaks participants from 7:15 to 7:30 a.m. following the renovation break that begins around 6:45 a.m. and lasts for approximately 30 minutes....

Norman Stables' Coal Battle (Coal Front) and Junko Kondo's G2 UAE Derby winner Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong) put in half-mile works for the Kentucky Derby over a fast track Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. Working during the 7:15-7:30 a.m. EST training window reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders, Coal Battle was the first to go, clocking a half-mile in :47.80 under Bethany Taylor. Fractions were :12.40, :24.60, :47.80, and out five furlongs in 1:00.80. "I was thrilled with it. He keeps getting better every time he goes out there,"...

The video game publisher and developer Cygames, Inc. has announced a partnership with Churchill Downs, which will run the Unbridled Sidney Stakes Presented by Cygames on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard May 2. In addition, on Derby and Oaks days at Churchill Downs, Cygames will have an on-site activation where visitors can play video game demos and take photos. The Cygames Booth in the track's infield will feature demos of various Cygames titles including: Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and Umamusume: Pretty Derby. A 360-degree...

Godolphin's Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), the likely favorite for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, turned in her most serious work to date Thursday morning at Churchill Downs with a five-furlong breeze in a sharp :59.40, the fastest of 10 at the distance. The undefeated filly hit the track at 7:15 a.m. EST wearing her usual set of blinkers and partnered with trainer Brad Cox's longtime exercise rider Edvin Vargas. She began her workout at the 4 1/2-furlong pole and broke off about two lengths behind stablemate and maiden Saucier (City...

Last year's unbeaten champion 2-year-old filly Immersive (Nyquist) is back in training with Brad Cox at Churchill Downs. It was announced earlier this year that the Godolphin homebred would be given some time off due to bone bruising. "Immersive is back in the barn, training and moving fantastic," Cox said. "Looking forward to getting her back later in the season." Immersive capped a four-for-four season with a dominating victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar Nov. 1. Her resume also includes wins in the GI Spinaway...

Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stables' Bless the Broken (Laoban) worked five furlongs in company in 1:00.80 (3/21) Wednesday morning at Keeneland as she prepares for her next start in the $1.5-million GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 2. "This is the first time I have worked her, and she worked nice," said Velazquez of Bless the Broken, who breezed in the company of her unraced Will Walden stablemate Mackave (Quality Road). Second to Simply Joking (Practical Joke) in the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday Stakes and third to undefeated...

Shadwell Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Muhimma (Munnings) will not participate in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks on May 2, trainer Brad Cox told Carlos Morales of Agentes 305 on X during an interview from the Churchill Downs backstretch Saturday morning. Perfect in her three racetrack appearances at two, the $700,000 Keeneland September purchase earned her 'Rising Star' over 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill last Sept. 20 and followed up with a 5 1/2-length allowance victory going seven-eighths of a mile before closing the season with a front-running success in the...

Prep season is over, and now it's time to get down to business. A deep field will line up for the GI Kentucky Oaks, led by the undefeated Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro). In most years, she'd be 4-5 or lower, but there are enough quality fillies lining up for the race that you might see 2-1 on her. Since the last installment, La Cara (Street Sense) moved up the charts with a win in the GI Ashland S., Ballerina d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) nosed out Early On (Union Rags) to win...

Trainer Brad Cox sent out GI Kentucky Derby contender Final Gambit (Not This Time) and likely GI Longines Kentucky Oaks favorite Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) for their latest breezes at Churchill Downs. Juddmonte's Final Gambit, winner of the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 at 7:15 a.m. Godolphin's Good Cheer followed with a five-furlong move in 1:00.40 at 9 a.m. Both were piloted by Cox's exercise rider Edvin Vargas. Final Gambit began his work at the 4 1/2-furlong pole, covering an opening quarter-mile in :25.40. He galloped...