Trainer Todd Pletcher put his GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls through their final major works for next Friday's race with works at Churchill Downs Thursday morning.
First to go at 6:00 a.m. was King of Prussia Stable's Mo d'Amour (Uncle Mo), heroine of Aqueduct's Busher S. and third-place finisher in the GII Gazelle S. With Amy Mullen aboard and working in company with maiden Noble and True (Giant's Causeway), Mo d'Amour clocked a half-mile in :48.20 (7/22) over a good surface. Fractions for the work were :13, :25, :36.60, :48.20 and a five-eighths out time of 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.60.
Next up at 6:40 a.m. was Michael Tabor's Thrilled (Uncle Mo), who worked in company with Grade I winner Curalina (Curlin). With Ovel Merida aboard, Thrilled, a last out heroine of Sunland's Plum Pretty S. Mar. 20, covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 (2/12) with fractions of :13.20, :25.20, :36.60, :48.20 and out six furlongs in 1:14.20.
After the break, Stonestreet Stables' Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini), working in company with maiden Caribbean (Harlan's Holiday), clocked a half-mile in :47.80 (5/22) over a track that was upgraded to fast. With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Rachel's Valentina posted fractions of :12.80, :24.80, :36.40, :47.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80 and six furlongs in 1:14.20. Rachel's Valentina, heroine of last summer's GI Spinaway S., was a close second in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. most recently Apr. 9.
“I thought both Rachel's Valentina and Mo d'Amour worked very well,” Pletcher said. “They got over the surface well, finished strong and galloped out well. I was very pleased with both.”
As for Thrilled, who is 21st on the Oaks leaderboard, Pletcher added, “She worked well, but it is probably a moot point as far as the Oaks. We will look at the [GIII] Selene [at Woodbine May 15] or the [GII] Black-Eyed Susan [at Pimlico May 20].”
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