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 to do too much,” Walden said while watching Bless the Broken cool out at the barn. “Happy with the way she is coming into the race. Hopefully she is peaking at the right moment.”
Bless the Broken, a reference to the 2004 Rascal Flatts song 'Bless the Broken Road,' is penciled in for a shedrow day on Thursday before vanning over to Churchill on Friday.
Early On (Union Rags) went her half-mile in :48.60 (10/43) for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. A maiden winner three back at Gulfstream Feb. 5, the New York-bred bay has since finished narrowly runner-up in the Virginia Oaks Mar. 15 and in the GIII Gazelle Stakes Apr. 5.
In other Oaks-related developments, MGISP Quickick (McKinzie) worked five furlongs in company at Churchill in 1:01.20 with Edgar Morales up. Quickick was timed in fractions of :24.40 and :36.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20 and seven panels in 1:27.80.
“She's not that big a filly and all of her major work was behind her,” Amoss said. “This was just a maintenance work.”
Umberto Rispoli will take the call on last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies third, Amoss said.
Also on track for for the first time Wednesday morning was Baoma Corp.'s GII Santa Anita Oaks winner Tenma (Nyquist) for trainer Bob Baffert.
Kentucky Oaks contender Quickick (outside) with @EMoralesRacing up worked 5F with Lady Orient (inside) in 1:01.20 for trainer @TomAmossRacing. pic.twitter.com/CKZwRLoJ3E
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 23, 2025
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