Crazy Beautiful shed her recent bridesmaid status, and stamped her ticket to the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1), with a decisive victory in the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on Saturday for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Last year the Gulfstream Park Oaks was won by the McPeek-trained Swiss Skydiver, the eventual division champion, in wire-to-wire fashion. But Crazy Beautiful did the opposite, rallying from the back of the seven-filly field to win by 2 1/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz.
“She was farther back than she’d normally been. But she’s got a great punch, a lot of turn of foot,” McPeek said.
Crazy Beautiful and @jose93_ortiz in front in the Gr.2 #GulfstreamPark Oaks! pic.twitter.com/aGaMXWxABn
— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) March 27, 2021
Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, Crazy Beautiful returned $6 after completing 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:44.41.
Finishing second was Millefeuille, who had 1 3/4 lengths on 18-1 longshot Competitive Speed. Con Lima, the 6-5 favorite, weakened to fourth after setting the pace, while Pens Street, Bow Bow Girl, and Len Lo Lady completed the order of finish.
Crazy Beautiful earned 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points and boosted her total to 128. Millefeuille earned 40 points and now has 50, while Competitive Speed earned 20 points and now has 30. Con Lima earned 10 points.
After opening her juvenile campaign with back-to-back victories, including the Ellis Park Debutante, Crazy Beautiful finished second in both the Pocahontas (G3) and Alcibiades (G1) in her next two starts. She than finished an even sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
In her three-year-old debut, the Feb. 27 Davona Dale (G2) over a one-turn mile, Crazy Beautiful finished a distant second to outsider Wholebodemeister. But McPeek was very encouraged with that performance considering he felt she wasn’t completely fit.
“She ran really well in that race. I thought we had her 80, 85 percent for that start,” he said.
Bred in Kentucky by Carolyn Vogel, Crazy Beautiful was a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling. By Liam’s Map, she’s out of the stakes-winning Indian Burn, a daughter of Indian Charlie.
