A total of 90 sophomore fillies were nominated early to the 144th edition of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 4, including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) heroine and champion two-year-old filly Caledonia Road.
The fillies were made eligible via a $200 payment due on February 17.
Trained by Ralph Nicks, Caledonia Road is 3-2-1-0 in her career, including a 3 1/4-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last November. That was the Quality Road filly’s last start, and she returned to the worktab on February 21 with a three-furlong breeze in :38.45 over the fast dirt at Palm Meadows Training Center. She also breezed a half-mile on February 28 over that same track in :50.60.
Others nominated to the $1 million Kentucky Oaks include the respective top three from the February 17 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds – Monomoy Girl, Classy Act and Wonder Gadot – as well as Paved, who beat the boys in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on the same day, and Red Ruby, heroine of the Martha Washington Stakes on February 10 at Oaklawn Park.
Also of note among the nominations is the unbeaten Dream Tree from the shedrow of trainer Bob Baffert, who saddled Abel Tasman to Kentucky Oaks glory and champion three-year-old filly honors last year.
Dream Tree captured the Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos to close out her juvenile campaign on December 9 and opened 2018 with a 3 3/4-length score in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park on February 4.
Fillies may still be nominated to the Kentucky Oaks through a late nomination period that ends April 14. The late fee is $1,500. A $20,000 supplemental nomination fee may also be paid at the time of entry.
The 2018 Kentucky Oaks will be televised live on NBCSN. The day will also include the 10th annual Survivors Parade, an on-track, pre-race parade that will feature 144 cancer survivors, and the popular “Pink Out” fashion tradition in which all Oaks Day attendees are encouraged to incorporate the color pink into their race day attire. Pink Out has raised $845,000 over the past nine years for women’s health issues and outreach.
Free Brisnet.com past performances of the Kentucky Oaks nominees are available by clicking here.
