2011 Kentucky Oaks Top 10 – Another Joyful Victory
- Updated: April 13, 2011
The performance of the week was turned in by Joyful Victory. The sharp Larry Jones trainee followed up a romping Honeybee tally with a Fantasy walk in the park on April 10. She only received an 83 BSF but looked great doing it once again.
Highly regarded Azeri filly Arienza could not match strides with Joyful Victory but was best of the rest.
R Heat Lightning is still No. 1 - photo by Eclipse Sportswire
In other Kentucky Oaks prep action, R Heat Lightning (100 BSF) solidified her top spot in my rankings with another sharp score at Gulfstream Park on April 2. She dominated the Davona Dale and Gulfstream Oaks and is the fastest 3yo filly in the land at this stage.
Island School rallied to finish a clear second behind R Heat Lightning and is on the upswing for Shug McGaughey. The late striding daughter of A.P. Indy was making her first route start in the GP Oaks and should continue to improve as the year progresses.
It’s Tricky was beaten more than 20 lengths in the GP Oaks and drops off my list.
Lilacs And Lace (87 BSF) was the upset winner of the April 9 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. John Terranova’s surprise package paid $99.40 and seems best on all-weather ground.
Wyomia was clearly second best and Kathmanblu flattened out in the lane to finish a disappointing 3rd.
The biggest disappointment in the Ashland was Dancinginherdreams. She never fired in a puzzling last place effort and may not have cared for synthetic footing.
Let’s check in on some of my former top ten players to see what they are up to.
Former number one filly Turbulent Descent has worked four times since winning the SA Oaks on 3-5. Her latest morning drill was 5f in :59.80 at Hollywood Park on 4-11.
Tell A Kelly has been working every 6-7 days since 3-11. Her first four works were at Palm Meadows and she shipped to Keeneland in April. Her latest move was 4f in :48 on 4-13 and could return in the April 17 Beaumont for new trainer Chad Brown.
Big Tiz dropped off the worktab for a month but has worked three times since 3-23, most recently going a strong 5f in :59.20 at Santa Anita on April 8.
Prima Donna Stakes winner Gran Lioness breezed 4f in :52.80 at Churchill Downs on 4-9.
The purse for the 2011 Kentucky Oaks has been bumped up to a cool $1 million and Kathmanblu closed as the 7-2 favorite in the Oaks Future Wager pool (March 11-13). I planned on playing Joyful Victory but she was hammered from 20-1 to 8-1 after her romping win in the Honeybee.
Click on the names of each horse below to view their Horse Racing Nation profile page, which includes pedigree information, results, and video.
Check out the top 2011 Kentucky Oaks contenders on Horse Racing Nation.
Jarrod Horak’s Top Ten Fillies:
1. R Heat Lightning (Trippi) – Romping Davona Dale and Gulfstream Oaks winner remains on top of the heap. The May 6 Kentucky Oaks is next.
2. Joyful Victory (Tapit) – Romped in Oaklawn’s Honeybee and Fantasy but her Beyer numbers have been light.
3. Zazu (A.P. Indy) – Las Virgenes winner just missed in the March 5 Santa Anita Oaks. She has worked three times since, most recently logging 6f in 1:14.60 at Hollywood Park on 4-9.
4. Plum Pretty (Medaglia d’Oro) – She roared into the Kentucky Oaks picture with a dominating two turn win in the Sunland Oaks. Zazu beat her twice at Santa Anita earlier this year but she is getting better and uncorked a 4f bullet in :46.60 on 4-7.
5. Kathmanblu (Bluegrass Cat) – Rachel Alexandra Stakes winner finished a flat 3rd in the Ashland. The feeling here has always been that she is better on turf but she clearly handles the Churchill Downs oval.
6. Summer Soiree (War Front) – Romped in the March 26 Bourbonette for Larry Jones and was subsequently purchased by Team Valor/Graham Motion. No published works since her last.
7. Daisy Devine (Kafwain) – Finished 2nd in the Silverbulletday and 1st in the Fair Grounds Oaks. She worked 4f in :46.40 at Keeneland on 4-8.
8. Island School (A.P. Indy) – New top ten member is developing nicely for Shug McGaughey. Look for her to blossom in New York later this year. No published works since the GP Oaks.
9. Arienza (Giant’s Causeway) – Captured both sprint starts and was dusted by Joyful Victory in the Fantasy. Well-bred miss has plenty of upside and needs time to grow and mature.
10. Wyomia (Vindication) – Ashland runner-up joins the list. She won a minor stakes event at Tampa Bay so she seems adept on dirt and synthetic.