Like Mother, Like Daughter?

Stonestreet Stables homebred Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini) looks to follow in her soon-to-be Hall of Fame dam Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro)'s famous hoofprints with a victory in Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks. While Rachel Alexandra only had to contend with six rivals in her 20 1/4-length demolition of the 2009 Oaks, her daughter headlines a strong field of 14 as the 3-1 morning-line favorite due to the absence of would-be favorite and undefeated champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro). Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after an impressive debut win at Saratoga Aug. 2, the Todd Pletcher pupil captured that venue's GI Spinaway S. next out Sept. 5 and finished 5 3/4 lengths behind her Eclipse-winning rival when second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31. Making her sophomore debut in Keeneland's GI Ashland S. Apr. 9, the bay put away speedy 'TDN Rising Star' Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) in the stretch only to be run down in the final strides by longshot Weep No More (Mineshaft) and finish a neck second. John Velazquez, who stayed in New York to ride Outwork (Uncle Mo) in the GI Wood Memorial S. on Ashland day, reunites with the filly here.

“John has ridden at a very high level consistently for a very long time,” Pletcher said. “I have great respect for the decisions he makes. In a tactical race like the Oaks, it is good to have a rider like him on your side.”

Cash Is King's Cathryn Sophia demolished a field fo Parx maidens by 12 3/4 lengths last October and was in a race of her own when cruising by 16 1/4 lengths in Laurel's Gin Talking S. Dec. 5. Stepping up to graded company with aplomb when a decisive winner of Gulfstream's GII Forward Gal S., the bay romped by seven lengths in the one-mile GII Davona Dale S.

Feb. 27 and suffered her first defeat last out when trying two turns for the first time in the Ashland. Originally pointed to the seven-furlong GIII Eight Belles S. on the undercard following that loss, trainer John Servis re-routed her to this tougher test after the defection of Songbird.

Ashbrook Farm's Weep No More has done little wrong in her brief career for trainer Rusty Arnold. Eighth on debut sprinting in the slop here Nov. 28, she turned it around when stretched to just over a mile next out with a late-running victory at Tampa Jan. 22 and followed suit with a score in that venue's Suncoast S. Feb. 13. Dismissed at 30-1 in the five-horse Ashland, the bay came from out of the clouds when uncorking a powerful stretch rally to deny Rachel's Valentina. That devastating closing kick could be hard to beat if she gets a similar pace set up here and this daughter of champion Mineshaft seems like the type who will relish the added distance.

“I hope they go quick up front [early] and we fall out the back door and follow them around,” said Jack Bohannan, assistant to trainer Rusty Arnold. “I hope it unfolds the same as the Ashland.”

Just one day before he legs Mario Gutierrez up on Reddam Racing's undefeated champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in the GI Kentucky Derby, Doug O'Neill will help the jockey aboard Reddam's Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road) in hopes of taking home the lilies. She has spent the majority of her career chasing Songbird around California, finishing a clear second to that rival in four of their six meetings, including the GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6 and the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 5. Sent to New Orleans to avoid the champion in her final Oaks prep, the chestnut earned a much-deserved first graded victory with a decisive

4 1/2-length defeat of Dream Dance (Afleet Alex) in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 26.

Alpha Delta Stables' Lewis Bay (Bernardini) is the only runner in this field with proven success at this nine-furlong distance, having captured Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S. last November and that venue's GII Gazelle S. last time Apr. 9. Second to Cathryn Sophia in the Davona Dale in between, the Chad Brown trainee posted a solid victory over the re-opposing Royal Obsession (Tapit) and Mo d'Amour (Uncle Mo) in the Gazelle.

Dale Romans saddles a live longshot in undefeated Go Maggie Go (Ghostzapper). A decisive four-length graduate in her six-panel Gulfstream unveiling Mar. 13, the Mike Tarp homebred finished 2 1/4 lengths to the good of Paola Queen (Flatter) when trying two turns for the first time in a sloppy renewal of the

GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Apr. 2.

“We didn't know she was going to be this good,” Romans told the Churchill notes team. “Down in Florida this winter she really blossomed and came around to be a really nice filly.”

In addition to Stonestreet's Royal Obsession, Steve Asmussen also saddles MGSW Terra Promessa (Curlin) for Barbara Banke's operation and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Taxable (Tapit), who finished one-two last time in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. Apr. 9.