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Preakness Entries Thorncliffe Stakes Kentucky Derby Results Kentucky Oaks Resullts Thurby Results |
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 Rain clouds over the stands before the Eight Belles Stakes | |
Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday usually draws the second largest attendance of any raceday in North America, second only to the Kentucky Derby run the very next day, and this year was no exception with 100,910 fans packing the stands and infield. Six graded stakes were contested on the Oaks undercard. Light rain fell earlier in the card downgrading the track to "wet-fast" and the turf to "good" after race 9, with temperatures dropping from a high of 76 down to 62 during the Unbridled Sidney Stakes.
Get the Oaks results and photos here.
 Raging Sea wins the La Troienne Stakes (G1) |
Jockey Joel Rosario sent Randomized to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.50, 47.22, and 1:11.38 while pressed by Thorpedo Anna and stalked by 22-1 Dorth Vader. Turning for home Randomized continued to lead through 1 mile in 1:36.40 as Thorpedo Anna tired badly. Raging Sea, 5th early under Flavien Prat, rallied between horses at the 1/16 pole and oufinished 31-1 Taxed to win by 3/4 length in 1:42.91. It was a head back to Randomized third, while Thorpedo Anna checked in last beaten 8 1/2 lengths.
Raging Sea in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Chad Brown said, "I was really looking forward to a little bit of a rematch (from the Breeders' Cup Distaff) and I was happy that she was able to get up there. She's really etched her own solid career and not just a one off sort of horse so consistency over many years now, all the way back her 2-year-old year, so she's really turned into a solid, solid horse that everyone needs to respect. The pace was slower than we anticipated but Flavien (Prat) did a nice job keeping her in striking distance and responded really well down the stretch."
Left: Second place finisher Taxed leads first time by. The Randy Morse trainee improved her record to 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 5 thirds in 23 starts, earning $1,079,019 for owner Richard Bahde.
Right: Last place finisher and beaten favorite Thorpedo Anna in the post parade. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. said, "She got bounced around a little around the first turn, but then after that, it all cleared up. We hopped outside of Randomizing and we were having a nice smooth trip from that point, and then at the second turn, when I asked her to go after Randomizing she picked it up a little. Then down the lane, she was just a little tired, and maybe the last race over there at Oaklawn (Apple Blossom) coming back quick today, it took a little steam out of her."
 Nitrogen wins the Edgewood Stakes |
Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. sent 17-1 Gowells Delight to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.67, 48.87, and 1:13.20 while pressed by Vixen and stalked by Nitrogen. Turning for home Gowells Delight tired allowing Nitrogen to inherit the lead through 1 mile in 1:35.74. Kept to task by Jose Ortiz, Nitrogen drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths over late-running Lush Lips in 1:41.58. It was a nose back to Vixen third.
Left: Nitrogen returns after the race. Winning jockey Jose Ortiz said, "She broke great and put me into a great position around both turns. When I tipped out at the quarter pole she was loaded. Very simple trip. She's amazing."
Right: Nitrogen heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Mark Casse said, "She's amazing, isn't she? I keep saying this but her race in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Fillies Turf), she could have given the winner a run for the money if she didn't have a rough trip. She has just built from that race. She's so nice because she shuts off for Jose (Ortiz) and he taps her on the shoulder and she takes off. She is usually outside but they had her pinned in a little bit. She's a big filly and she pushed her way out and said ‘get out of my way.'"
 Fierceness wins the Alysheba Stakes (G2) |
Jockey Florent Geroux sent 8-1 fourth choice Most Wanted to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.39, 48.31, and 1:11.11 while pressed by 29-1 This is Uscar and stalked by Fierceness and Hall of Fame. Into the stretch Fierceness came out 4 wide for room and swept to the lead through 1 mile in 1:34.44. Kept to task by John Velazquez, Fierceness drew off to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Most Wanted in a new track record 1:40.66. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Hall of Fame third.
Left: Fierceness in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Todd Pletcher said, "He's a nice horse and he showed it today. But, wow! A track record at Churchill Downs, that's a really big deal. We've got lots of options with him right now but I'd have to think the Met Mile is on the top of the current list."
Right: Fierceness returns after the race. Winning jockey John Velazquez said, "It was a perfect trip. There was a little bit of speed in there. I wanted them to hop out of there well and he went to the first turn not being too aggressive. When I put him in the clear on the backstretch, he just really got into the bit and kept taking off."
 She Feels Pretty wins the Modesty Stakes (G3) |
13-2 fourth choice Segesta and 27-1 longest shot Birdie Rose dueled for the lead through fractions of 22.90, 47.05, and 1:10.73 while stalked by She Feels Pretty. Turning for home the pacesetters tired as She Feels Pretty inherited the lead through 1 mile in 1:33.83. Kept to task by John Velazquez, She Feels Pretty drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths over late-running Gimme a Nother in a new track record 1:45.51. It was another 1/2 length back to Saffron Moon third.
Results chart from DRF
She Feels Pretty returns after the race. Winning trainer Cherie DeVaux said, "It's great to see her back in the winner's circle again. I gave her some time off to allow her to grow into herself. She's bigger and stronger. She's tenacious, she doesn't want to get beat and she has won from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. So you know she is special. One of the TV guys said she's the best turf filly in the United States. I'm biased, but I agree."
Jockey John Velazquez added, "My job was to keep her covered up early in the race and get her to relax. She got a little aggressive but she switched off. Down the backside, we got in the clear and she took me where I needed to be. She just really cruises out there and makes my job easy."
 Look Forward wins the Eight Belles Stakes (G3) |
Jockey Flavien Prat sent Impulse Buy to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 21.92 and 44.17 while pressed by 15-2 Look Forward and stalked by Eclatant. Into the stretch Impulse Buy tired as Look Forward inherited the lead through 3/4 in 1:08.80. Kept to task by Umberto Rispoli, Look Forward drew off to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 13-1 Blue Fire in 1:22.36. It was another length back to late-running 15-1 Evanescence third, while favorite Eclatant faded to finish 9th beaten 12 1/4 lengths.
Down the stretch in the Eight Belles. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "Her work here this week was fantastic. She broke with them today and Umberto was always able to keep her in a good spot. Around the turn, it always looked like she was traveling comfortably, was able to put a neck on those horses, and had enough to finish out the job nicely. This is a great win for Paul (owner Reddam) and everybody. [I'm] very happy that Umberto's got some momentum here this week."
 Queen Maxima wins the Unbridled Sidney Stakes |
Jockey Hoel Rosario sent 15-2 fourth choice Epona's Hope to the lead through fractions of 21.76 and 44.28 while opressed by 18-1 Crown Imperial and stalked by Ag Bullet. Into the stretch Queen Maxima, 4th early, swept to lead 3 wide through 5f in 55.49. Kept to task by Juan Hernandez, Queen Maxima drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths over Crown Imperial in a new track record time of 1:01.29. It was a neck back to Epona's Hope third, while favorite Ag Bullet checked in 7th beaten 5 1/4 lengths.
Results chart from DRF
Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "I just like to let her run where she's comfortable to be. The inside horses were way faster than me. It was a really smooth ride. She was traveling beautifully. At the quarter pole, I switched my stick and she took off again."
Winning trainer Jeff Mullins said, "She's a good filly. We knew that right from the start; her first race at Del Mar she came running on and won. She's been winning races ever since. Out on the race track she's a tiger. Back at the barn she's a princess. She's special."
Get the Oaks results and photos here.
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