Kentucky Derby Report: Field Set for Oaks; Fellowship Still on the Bubble for Derby

By Jim Freer

Post Positions were drawn on Tuesday for Friday’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1), and the 14-horse-field has three fillies that won stakes race at Florida tracks this year.

Those horses are Weep No More, Cathryn Sophia and Go Maggie Go (photo on home page).

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking toward 5:30 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday when post positions will be drawn for Saturday’s $2 million Kentucky Derby (Grade 1).

A big question is whether Fellowship, whose home track is Gulfstream Park, will get into the 20-horse field. He is 21st on the qualifying points list, and will be able to run in the Derby if one of the 20 horses ahead of him is not entered or scratches before 9:00 a.m. on Friday.

We will continue to monitor the situation with Fellowship as part of our Kentucky Derby week coverage. On this Web site and on our blog, we will have a major focus on horses that ran at Gulfstream Park or at Tampa Bay Downs this year and are in the Kentucky Oaks, Kentucky Derby or races on their undercards at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Kentucky Oaks

The Kentucky Oaks is 1 1/8 miles on dirt for 3-year-old fillies.  Scheduled post on Friday is 5:46 p.m.

Weep No More, trained by Rusty Arnold, comes into the race off a two-race winning streak.

She won the Suncoast Stakes at a mile and 40 yards at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 13.

In her next start, Weep No More won by a  neck over Rachel’s  Valentina in the 1 1/16 mile Ashland Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.  Cathryn Sophia finished another neck back in third place.

Rachel's Valentina - Morning Training - KEE - 040616 Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher Owner: Stonestreet Stables LLC Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC

Rachel’s Valentina

Rachel’s Valentina also is entered in the Kentucky Oaks.  She is part of Todd Pletcher’s stable.  She trained at Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach this winter, but did not race in Florida.

Rachel Valentina is a daughter of Bernardini and Rachel Alexandra.

Line maker Mike Battaglia made Rachel  Valentina the 7-2 morning line Kentucky Oaks favorite.  Weep No More and Cathryn Sophia are next at 9-2.

The Ashland was Rachel Valentina’s first race since last Oct. 31 when she finished second by 5 ¾ lengths to Songbird. The unbeaten Songbird is sidelined with a fever, and is not in the Kentucky Oaks where  she would have been the heavy favorite.

Go Maggie Go won the 1 1/16 mile Gulfstream Park Oaks (Grade 2) on April 2. She is 12-1 in the morning line.

Paola Queen, the second place finisher in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, and Lewis Bay, second place finisher in the Davona Dale, also are in the Kentucky Oaks.

Here are the post positions for the Kentucky Oaks, with jockeys and morning line odds.

Dothraki Queen will be able to draw into the race if one of the other 14 horses scratches before 9 a.m. on Friday.

 

  1. Terra Promessa        Ricardo Santana Jr.  10-1
  2. Weep No More        Corey Lanerie            9-2
  3. Lewis Bay                Irad Ortiz Jr.             8-1
  4. Go Maggie Go        Luis Saez                 12-1
  5. Dream Dance          Brian Hernandez Jr. 30-1
  6. Mokat                      Flavien Prat              20-1
  7. Mo d’ Amour          Joel Rosario              30-1
  8. Royal Obsession      Florent Geroux        20-1
  9. Paola Queen            Emisael Jaramillo    30-1
  10. Venus Valentine    Shaun Bridgmohan 30-1
  11. Rachel’s Valentina John Velazquez        7-2
  12. Cathryn Sophia      Javier Castellano      9-2
  13. Land Over Sea      Mario Guiterrez       5-1
  14. Taxable                  Mike Smith            20-1

Also Eligible:

  1. Dothraki Queen    Gary Stevens 30-1

— photo of Go Maggie Go courtesy of Gulsftream Park

–photo of Rachel’s Valentina courtesy of Coady Photography