Luminance, Maybellene likely to swerve ‘really strong’ Kentucky Oaks

Luminance, Maybellene likely to swerve ‘really strong’
Kentucky Oaks

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will find “other spots” for Luminance and stablemate Maybellene (Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com) After his two prospects worked Monday morning, trainer Bob Baffert said he was not likely to enter Kaleem Shah’s Luminance (Tale of the Cat) or Jill Baffert’s Maybellene (Lookin at Lucky) in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1). “I might not run a horse in the Oaks,” he said. “I worked them today. I wasn’t really sure; I wanted to see how they worked. It’s a tough Oaks and I might not enter a horse in the Oaks.” Luminance covered five furlongs in 1:02 4/5, which was the 22nd fastest time of the 32 at the distance, and Maybellene, working in company with Pat Day Mile (G3) probable Lord Nelson (Pulpit), covered a half-mile in :48 4/5, ninth of 35 at the distance. Lord Nelson clocked :48 2/5. “The works were OK, but I don’t know if they are ready for that yet,” Baffert said. “There are a lot of races coming up. I wanted to get them here and watch them train. They are doing well, but I want to be in a more competitive (situation). It’s a really strong Oaks field. I’ll pick some other spots for them.”

Luminance has made three career starts and in her most recent outing was
second by 5 1/4 lengths in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1). Maybellene has won three
of 10 starts. She finished second in the Sunland Park Oaks but was moved to
first by the disqualification of stablemate Callback (Street Sense).

Should the Baffert duo skip the Oaks, then Charles Fipke’s Forever Unbridled
(Unbridled’s Song) and George and Lori Hall’s Money’soncharlotte (Mizzen Mast)
would get in.

Forever Unbridled, currently 15th on the Oaks point list, placed in all three
preps at Fair Grounds. She finished second in the Silverbulletday and third in
both the Rachel Alexandra (G3) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings)
won all three of those races.

“They’re solid, the ones she’s been running against,” Stewart said. “That
form has held up just great. She’s got to be a couple of lengths better for sure
to win.”

Stewart said that Unbridled Forever is showing signs that she’s maturing.

“She’s progressed,” Stewart said. “You look at her worktab, she’s right
there. She was three of 30 the other day, nice and easy. (He was referring to a
five-furlong workout Friday in 1:01, the third fastest of 30 workouts that day
at the distance.) She’s doing well. She’s eating well. She’s carrying herself
well — everything that we like to see. She’s sound.”

Also on Monday, Hronis Racing’s dominant Santa Anita Oaks winner Stellar Wind
got her first taste of the Churchill Downs surface right after the track opened
in the morning, jogging an easy one mile from the five-eighths pole under
Ricardo Peniche, longtime exercise rider for trainer John Sadler.

“She jogged really nice, relaxed,” Peniche said. “No problems. She’s been
relaxed and is very good. She handled the track good. She’s sharp but she
handled it really nice. We are very excited about her. She’s been training great
and she’s got our hopes up.”

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