By Alan Carasso
When Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Untapable (Tapit) loads the gates for Saturday's GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Park, she will become the first winner of the GI Kentucky Oaks to make an appearance at age five since 1998 Oaks victrix Keeper Hill (Deputy Minister) did so fully 16 years ago. The homebred, who had–by her lofty standards–a disappointing 4-year-old campaign in 2015, looms a very heavy favorite in the course-and-distance prep for the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 15.
Named the champion of her generation in 2014 after closing the year with a tough score in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Untapable was rolled as the 1-10 chalk in this event last year before recording her lone win of the season in the Apple Blossom. While certainly not disgraced in four subsequent trips to the post, she lacked the killer instinct she had during her Eclipse Award-winning season. Tagged on the money by Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 4 and was set to press on to a defense of her title in the Distaff, only to take ill. Soon after it was decided Untapable would train on in 2016, a potentially wise choice in a division that seems thin, at least east of the Mississippi.
Realistically, the favorite can probably put up something short of her best and still come home first here, and Theogony (Curlin) looks a strong chance to complete the exacta. After making the first dozen starts of her career on synthetic and turf, she made a favorable impression in her first try over conventional dirt, finishing second in the GII Th Falls City H. at Churchill Nov. 26, one spot better than Call Pat (Lawyer Ron). Forced to endure a wide trip when a neck second to Streamline (Straight Line) in this track's Pippin S. Jan. 17, she could not overcome a modest pace in the GIII Sam Houston Ladies' Classic and finished a non-threatening fourth.
Call Pat overcame a slow pace set by Meshell (Elusive Quality) in the Feb. 14 GIII Bayakoa S. and was up in the final strides for a half-length decision over Streamline. Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) has run several races over shorter that would leave her in the mix, including a victory in the GII Raven Run S. Oct. 17, but her races at a route of ground leave something to be desired from a speed-figure perspective. She was most recently a disappointing fourth as the 7-5 favorite in the Bayakoa.
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