Kentucky Oaks hopefuls take to the track ahead of rainy weekend

Angela Renee pleased Pletcher with her Friday move (Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com)

Trainers of Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders weren’t the only ones trying to
beat the rain heading into the Blue Grass State on Friday. Six Kentucky Oaks
(G1) hopefuls took to Churchill Downs’ fast main track on Friday, putting in
moves ahead of the forecasted wet weekend weather.

Working toward the Oaks with half-mile breezes for Todd Pletcher
were Angela Renee (Bernardini) and Eskenformoney (Eskendereya). Working five furlongs were Forever
Unbridled (Unbridled’s Song) for trainer Dallas Stewart, Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor) for Ingrid Mason, Oceanwave
(Harlan’s Holiday) for
Wayne Catalano and Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful) for Rudy Rodriguez.

Angela Renee and Eskenformoney got in their final major work before next
Friday’s $1 million contest by working a half-mile in company shortly after 6
a.m. (EDT) Friday morning.

First up for Pletcher was Grade 1 heroine Angela Renee with
jockey John Velazquez aboard. Working in company with maiden winner Curalina (Curlin),
Angela Renee worked a half-mile in :47 4/5, the fourth fastest of 78 at the
distance. Fractions for the work were :12 2/5 and :24 2/5 with a five-furlong
gallop-out time of 1:00 1/5.

Dual Grade 2-placed Eskenformoney, with jockey Javier
Castellano aboard, worked a half-mile in :48 2/5, the 19th fastest of 78 at the
distance. Working in company with the maiden Roberta Turner (Smart Strike), Eskenformoney
produced fractions of :11 3/5, :23 3/5 and :36 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01
3/5.

Condo Commando is a willing workhorse, according to trainer Rudy Rodriguez (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

Rodriguez said that was a typical breeze for Condo
Commando, whom he said was a willing workhorse.

“She looked like she got over the track pretty nice,” he
said. “Now she’s got to do it the day of the race.”

Rodriguez said it is possible that he might give the filly
another short breeze next week to put her on her toes for the Oaks. If he does,
Rodriguez would be following a pattern often used by two trainers he worked for,
Bobby Frankel and Rick Dutrow Jr.

“Maybe I’ll do it. Who knows? I’ve got to see how she comes
back and I’ll let her tell me what she wants to do,” he said. “If I need to blow
her out a little bit I’m going to do it. We’ve got a long way to go, so we’ll
take it day by day.”

The first horse to work on the busy Friday morning at Churchill Downs was Forever Unbridled for
trainer Dallas Stewart.

Working on her own with exercise rider Emerson Chavez up,
Forever Unbridled covered five furlongs in 1:01, the third fastest of 30 for the
morning at the distance. Fractions were :12 1/5, :24 1/5, :36 1/5 and :48.40
with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:15 4/5.

It was the third work under the Twin Spires for Forever Unbridled since
finishing third in the March 28 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).

Oceanwave had a five-furlong maintenance work (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

“We just wanted to get a little air in her,” trainer
Wayne Catalano said. “She already worked last week so we didn’t need much. It
was just a nice maintenance five-eighths. We were just getting her over this
track. We didn’t let her work much so she still had some horse left.”

Catalano
originally scheduled the work for Saturday but moved it up because of the wet
forecast.

“I was maybe going to go tomorrow but it looks like it’ll be raining
and I didn’t want to take a chance,” he said.

The trainer declined to assess his
chances until the draw but said that for now he is pleased with how his filly
has done at Churchill Downs.

“She’s eating good, doing good, and we’re happy
with her,” Catalano said.

Grade 3 vixen Sarah Sis worked five furlongs
under Florent Geroux in 1:02 3/5 after the morning renovation break Friday.
Working on her own, the dark bay filly produced fractions of :12 2/5, :24 4/5
and :37 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:16 4/5. The move was the 19th fastest of 30 at the distance.

Puca’s weekend work depends on the weather (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

“I’ve got one in the 2ND race at
Keeneland today and we’ll be on our way as soon as he runs,” Jones said. “We should be there about 4:30
(p.m. [EDT]). We already came over (Thursday) to set up
their stalls so everything’s ready for them.”

The trainer reported that both
fillies galloped 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland Friday morning and will test the Churchill
Downs surface Saturday during the Oaks and Derby training period following the
renovation break. Jones plans to work both fillies under the Twin Spires on Sunday.

I’m a Chatterbox
will be ridden by Florent Geroux in the Oaks. Lovely Maria will be ridden by
Kerwin Clark in the Oaks.

Trainer Bill Mott plans to work Puca (Big Brown) Saturday, but could push the
work back to Sunday because of weather.

“I talked to Bill this morning and the
plan is to breeze tomorrow,” said Jerry Crawford, president of owner Donegal
Racing. “If not
tomorrow, though, it’s no problem if we push it back to Sunday.”

Puca hasn’t won since breaking her maiden by 16 lengths in
October but proved she belonged in the Oaks by finishing a clear second time out in the Gazelle
S. (G2) at Aqueduct.