KENTUCKY OAKS 141 PREVIEW
Friday’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs has come up very
tough. A case may be made for nearly every runner in the field of 14, and there
are quite a few who could go off at long odds.
We’re going with one of those who might offer a price in Birdatthewire
(Summer Bird), who is listed at 6-1 on the morning line. The bay miss may not
have attracted as much attention as the Larry Jones-trained duo, or the phenon
from Santa Anita Park, but the hard-knocking miss has the ability to get the job
done on the big day.
1ST — Trained by Dale Romans, who is based at Churchill Downs for
much of the year, Birdatthewire actually began her career under the Twin
Spires as a two-year-old. She finished third in her debut, shipped to Keeneland
for last fall’s meet to be second and fourth on two occasions, then headed back
to Churchill for a first career victory in late November.
Instead of sticking around for the frigid Kentucky winter, Romans sent
Birdatthewire to Florida, and that’s where the filly did all of her Oaks
preparations. She captured her sophomore debut at 12-1 while making her stakes
bow in the Forward Gal S. (G2) in late January, and wouldn’t see double-digit
odds again in her next two starts. Birdatthewire just missed by a neck in the
Davona Dale S. (G2) at Gulfstream one month later, but earned a stellar 104 BRIS
Speed rating, which is only equaled by Eskenformoney (Eskendereya) in Friday’s
Oaks field.
Eskenformoney earned that same number when running third behind Birdatthewire
in the Davona Dale and chased her home once again next out in the Gulfstream
Park Oaks (G2). Birdatthewire was the 8-5 favorite in that 1 1/16-mile contest
and lived up to those odds when overcoming a bit of trouble to prevail by 1 1/4
lengths on the wire. She came from last, her preferred running style which could
serve her well in Friday’s speed-laden Oaks field.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard for both of Birdatthewire’s wins thus far this
year, and keeps the mount as the powerful filly stretches out to nine furlongs
for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks.
2ND — While we’re willing to take a shot with a price horse, we’re
not totally discounting 7-2 favorite Stellar Wind (Curlin). The Santa
Anita Oaks (G1) heroine has more than earned her early favoritism after
capturing three of her four lifetime starts.
The chestnut miss actually began her career with Donald Barr, but was
transferred to John Sadler after being privately purchased by Peter and Kosta
Hronis following an 8 3/4-length maiden romp in her second career race at Laurel
Park. Stellar Wind immediately proved to be a smart buy when cruising to an
effortless victory in her three-year-old debut at Santa Anita Park, the Santa
Ysabel S. (G3), by 2 3/4 lengths. She followed up two months later in the Santa
Anita Oaks, this time sailing home by 5 1/4 lengths.
Our biggest knock against Stellar Wind is that she was never tested in her
past three races. The filly is versatile, proving capable of winning as a front
runner and as a closer, but she’s not going to get away without a challenge in
the Kentucky Oaks, and that could prove to be her downfall under regular rider
Victor Espinoza.
3RD — A Kentucky Oaks top three is not complete without a Jones filly
thrown in somewhere. I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings) is our choice over her
Ashland S. (G1)-winning stablemate Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection). The pair
met up in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) two back, and I’m a Chatterbox easily
pulled away to a 2 1/2-length score in that Fair Grounds feature. In fact, she’s
another who has yet to face true adversity this season.
I’m a Chatterbox was transferred to Jones’ shedrow for her sophomore campaign
and immediately stepped up to wire the Silverbulletday S. by eight lengths on
January 17 in New Orleans. She followed up in the Rachel Alexandra and Fair
Grounds Oaks (G2), and enters Friday’s Kentucky Oaks the 4-1 co-second choice in
the field with New York-powerhouse Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful).
I’m a Chatterbox could easily follow in the hoofsteps of many a Fair Grounds
Oaks winner and parlay that into a Kentucky Oaks victory, but she was unable to
factor in her two tries over the Churchill main track as a juvenile, including a
fourth-placing in the Golden Rod S. (G2) last November. Florent Geroux has been
aboard since the chestnut miss arrived in Jones’ barn and retains the mount
Friday.
LONGSHOT — Considering only five of the 14-filly Kentucky Oaks field
is listed at single-digit odds on the morning-line, there is plenty of room for
picking a longshot in this talented bunch. We’re going with Oceanwave
(Harlan’s Holiday), who will open the wagering at 30-1 while seeking her first
stakes score on Friday.
The gray miss earned her shot at Oaks glory by way of Oaklawn Park. The Wayne
Catalano trainee finished second in her March 7 stakes debut, the Honeybee S.
(G3), and took a step forward to fill that same spot, but only a neck behind the
winner, in the Fantasy S. (G3) last out.
Oceanwave has valuable experience at Churchill, making her career bow at the
track and rallying from sixth to be a fast-closing third, beaten just a length,
while going seven furlongs. She obviously appreciates extra distance and could
come flying late once again to shock them all under Rafael Bejarano.