Kentucky Oaks nominations total 117

AWESOME FEATHER (Awesome of Course), the unbeaten two-year-old filly
champion of 2010 and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1),
sits atop 117 talented fillies on the roster of early nominees to
compete for a record $1 million purse offered for the 137th running of
the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Oaks is renewed each year on the eve of the Kentucky
Derby (G1), and both have been run annually without interruption since
their debut during the first Churchill Downs race meet in May 1875.

Churchill Downs and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, recently announced the renewal of a unique partnership to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research through events at the historic track on Kentucky Oaks Day. A “Ladies First” theme will be in place for the day, and those attending the Oaks racing program will be urged to “Pink Out” and incorporate the Komen’s brilliant signature pink into their Oaks Day attire. The $1 million guaranteed purse for the 2011 renewal of the Kentucky Oaks was doubled from the $500,000 purse that had been in place for the race since its 1996 running. The Kentucky Oaks is the richest North American race in the three-year-old filly division and the increase value of the race will boost purses for six stakes races scheduled for Churchill’s Oaks Day program to a record $2 million. That total ranks second at Churchill Downs to Kentucky Derby Day, which will also feature six graded stakes races — three of which are Grade 1 events — with total purses of $3.4 million. The Kentucky Oaks-nominated fillies were made eligible for the race by the payment of a $200 nomination fee paid on or before the early nomination deadline of February 19. For the first time, Churchill Downs has instituted a late nomination period for the Kentucky Oaks, with those late nominations due — accompanied by a fee of $1,500 — by midnight (ET) on April 13. Supplemental entries to the Oaks will also be accepted at the time of entry for a fee of $50,000.

The field for the Kentucky Oaks is limited to 14 starters, with preference
given to entrants that have accumulated the highest earnings in graded races.

Awesome Feather was purchased by Stronach Stable for $2.3 million at the
Fasig-Tipton November Sale two days after her impressive 2 1/4-length victory in
the Breeders’ Cup that locked up Eclipse Award championship honors for her
former owner and breeder, Fred Brei of Florida’s Jacks or Better Farm, and
trainer Stanley Gold. She was transferred to the stable of trainer Chad Brown,
but a reported tendon injury sent her to the sidelines. The champion, who is
unbeaten in six races with earnings of $1,495,746, is reported to be near a
return to light training.

Should Awesome Feather make sufficient progress in the coming weeks to
compete in the 137th Kentucky Oaks, she would bid to become the first
two-year-old filly champion to win the race since Silverbulletday achieved that
feat in 1999. Silverbulletday earned another championship at three for trainer
Bob Baffert, and was enshrined in racing’s Hall of Fame in 2009.

The total of 117 nominations to Kentucky Oaks 137 is down from the 143
fillies nominated to its 2010 renewal, won by eventual three-year-old filly
champion Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision). But the 116 fillies that accompany
Awesome Feather on this year’s roster of nominees include the brightest stars of
this year’s three-year-old filly division.

Those rising stars include recent Davona Dale S. (G2) scorer R HEAT LIGHTNING
(Trippi), runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and winner of
Saratoga’s Spinaway (G1) as a juvenile; A Z WARRIOR (Bernardini), queen of the
Frizette (G1) at two; ZAZU (Tapit), heroine of the Las Virgenes S. (G1) at Santa
Anita; Hollywood Starlet S. (G1) victress TURBULENT DESCENT (Congrats); last-out
Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) winner KATHMANBLU (Bluegrass Cat), who captured the
Golden Rod S. (G2) under the Twin Spires last year; MORE THAN REAL (More Than
Ready), reigning Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) champion; Pocahontas
S. (G2) winner DANCINGINHERDREAMS (Tapit); Darley Debutante (G1) winner TELL A
KELLY (Tapit); POMEROYS PISTOL (Pomeroy), triumphant in the Forward Gal S. (G2);
undefeated Debutante S. (G2) scorer JUST LOUISE (Five Star Day); Santa Ysabel S.
(G3) heroine MAY DAY ROSE (Rockport Harbor); unbeaten IT’S TRICKY (Mineshaft),
winner of Aqueduct’s recent Busher S.; and WYOMIA (Vindication), queen of the
Mazarine S. (G3) at Woodbine.

R Heat Lightning and More Than Real are among nine Kentucky Oaks 137 nominees
trained by two-time Oaks winner Todd Pletcher, who led trainers in total
nominations. Kiaran McLaughlin and Baffert were next on that list with six
nominated fillies, and they were followed by Ken McPeek and John Sadler, each of
whom nominated five fillies. Mark Casse, Bernard Chatters and Bob Hess Jr. were
next with four nominees.

Darley Stable nominated four fillies to lead all owners in total Kentucky
Oaks nominations. Close behind Darley with three nominations each were E. Paul
Robsham Stable LLC, Drs. K.K. and V.D. Jayaraman, John C. Oxley, and Amanda
Pope.

Kentucky Oaks-winning trainers who have nominated fillies in search of
another victory in the race are headed by three-time winner Jerry Hollendorfer,
who saddled Blind Luck to win last year’s renewal, and Pletcher. Trainers who
have nominated fillies in search of a second career victory in the race include
Steve Asmussen, Larry Jones, Shug McGaughey, Neil Howard and John Ward Jr.

Blind Luck was the fourth consecutive Kentucky Oaks winner to earn an Eclipse
Award that honored her at year’s end as America’s champion three-year-old filly.
The streak of Oaks-winning champions also includes Rachel Alexandra (2009),
Proud Spell (2008) and Rags to Riches (2007). Rachel Alexandra and Rags to
Riches defeated males in Triple Crown races in their subsequent starts, with the
former defeating Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Preakness S. (G1)
on her way to Horse of the Year honors, and Rags to Riches edged eventual
two-time Horse of the Year Curlin in a dramatic renewal of the Belmont S. (G1).