Stonestreet Stables homebred Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini), whose champion dam Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) registered a win for the ages when romping by 20 1/4 lengths in the 2009 GI Kentucky Oaks, will look to follow suit this Friday as the lukewarm 7-2 chalk against a full field of 14 with one also-eligible.
Winner of last term's GI Spinaway S. and runner-up to would-be Oaks favorite Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31, Rachel's Valentina finished second after being run down late by Weep No More (Mineshaft) in the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 9. One of two Todd Pletcher runners in the Oaks, the “TDN Rising Star” will break from post 11 in the Oaks with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons.
Ashbrook Farm's Weep No More, who was sent off at odds of 30-1 in the Ashland, is the co-second choice along with “TDN Rising Star” Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) this time around. Drawn in stall two, the George Arnold pupil will once again be piloted by Corey Lanerie.
“She is pretty tactical and she can put herself into the race pretty easy, so I was probably going to be comfortable with whatever we drew,” Cathryn Sophia's conditioner John Servis said.
Winner of her first four starts, including the GII Forward Gal S. and GII Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale S., Cash Is King's Cathryn Sophia checked in third after setting the pace in the Ashland. The bay will be beside the chalk in gate 12 Friday with three-time Eclipse winner Javier Castellano in the saddle.
Reddam Racing, Doug O'Neill and Mario Gutierrez, the same team that hopes to win the GI Kentucky Derby Saturday with champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo), have a solid chance in Friday's feature with Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road). The GII Fair Grounds victress, who spent most of her career chasing Songbird around California, will exit the 13-hole and was given odds of 5-1 on Mike Battaglia's morning-line.
Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen has the most Oaks entries this year with the trio of Terra Promessa (Curlin), Taxable (Tapit) and Royal Obsession (Tapit). Terra Promessa, who beat out Taxable by a neck in the GIII Fantasy S., will break from the rail at 10-1, while Taxable is marooned in post 14 at 20-1. “TDN Rising Star” Royal Obsession, second to Lewis Bay (Bernardini) in the GII Gazelle S. Apr. 9, is also 20-1 on the morning-line and drew the eight-hole.
Friday, Churchill Downs
142nd GI LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m
PP, Horse (Sire), Jockey, ML
1 Terra Promessa (Curlin), Santana Jr, 10-1
2 Weep No More (Mineshaft), Lanerie, 9-2
3 Lewis Bay (Bernardini), Ortiz Jr, 8-1
4 Go Maggie Go (Ghostzapper), Saez, 12-1
5 Dream Dance (Afleet Alex), Hernandez Jr, 30-1
6 Mokat (Uncle Mo), Prat, 20-1
7 Mo d'Amour (Uncle Mo), Rosario, 30-1
8 Royal Obsession (Tapit), Geroux, 20-1
9 Paola Queen (Flatter), Jaramillo, 30-1
10 Venus Valentine (Congrats), Bridgmohan, 30-1
11 Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini), Velazquez, 7-2
12 Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss), Castellano, 9-2
13 Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road), Gutierrez, 5-1
14 Taxable (Tapit), Smith, 20-1
Also Eligible
15 Dothraki Queen (Pure Prize), No Rider, 30-1
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