Allen Racing LLC and Bloom Racing Stable LLC’s Midnight Bisou heads a contingent of six OBS graduates entered in Friday’s 144th renewal of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. The 3-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute is the 5-2 second choice in the mile and one eighth classic, won previously by OBS graduates Blind Luck and Plum Pretty.
Midnight Bisou comes to the race off a sensational 3-1/2 length victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1). She’s won three straight graded stakes, compiled a 5-3-2-0 career record and has earned $450,000. Trained by Bill Spawr, she’ll break from post 10 under Mike Smith. Consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds to the 2017 OBS April Sale, she turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before she was sold to Jeffrey Bloom for $80,000. watch her under tack video
The fourteen horse field also includes Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi’s Rayya, making her first start in the U.S. after posting a 5-2-3-0 record at Meydan in Dubai. Winner of the UAE Oaks (G3) in March, she comes into the Oaks off a second place finish to Mendelssohn against the boys in the UAE Derby (G2). The daughter of Tiz Wonderful, now trained by Bob Baffert, has drawn post seven and will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke. Purchased for $190,000 out of the Shooting Star Sales LLC consignment at the 2017 OBS April Sale after breezing an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show, she has earned $644,507 to date. watch her under tack video
Peter Deutsch’s consistent Take Charge Paula will break from post nine and be ridden by Jose Ortiz. She spent the winter at Gulfstream Park, winning the House Party and Forward Gal Stakes (G3), and running second in the Davona Dale (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). Consigned to the 2017 OBS March Sale by Envision Equine on behalf of E. J. Sipus Jr. and sold for $50,000, she’s now trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and comes into the Oaks with a 9-5-3-0 record and $394,320 in earnings. watch her under tack video
Gary Barber’s Canadian-bred champion Wonder Gadot has been on the board in graded stakes at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park and won the Mazarine (G3) at Woodbine and Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct. She’ll break from the five hole under John Velazquez, who has the riding assignment for trainer Mark Casse. Coming into the Oaks with a 9-3-2-3 record and earnings of $482,973, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was purchased for $325,000 out of the Eisaman Equine consignment at the 2017 OBS April Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch her under tack video
Craig D. Upham’s Patrona Margarita was a 3-3/4 length winner of Churchill’s Pocahontas Stakes (G2) at two and comes into the Oaks off a third place finish in the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. The daughter of Special Rate has drawn post twelve, and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr. for trainer Bret Calhoun. Now 6-2-0-2 with $208,253 in earnings, she went through the ring at the 2016 OBS August Yearling Sale, consigned by Stoneview Farm, Agent.
Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Kelly’s Humor captured the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes after breaking her maiden at first asking. She was second to Patrona Margarita in Churchill’s Pocahontas Stakes (G2) at two, and returned to the races in Keeneland’s Beaumont Stakes (G3) in April, putting in a big late run to finish second to unbeaten OBS March graduate Gas Station Sushi. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride the daughter of Midnight Lute from post six for trainer Brad Cox. Now 6-2-2-0 with $148,910 in earnings, she was sold for $35,000 by Stuart Morris, Agent at the 2016 OBS August Selected Yearling Sale. Selected Sale Conformation photo
Five OBS graduates will be in action during the Kentucky Oaks undercard.
Riley Racing Stables, LLC, Jason Tackitt, Megan J. Tackitt, Mike Henson and Tiger Racing Stable’s unbeaten Gas Station Sushi will go in the seven furlong Eight Belles Stakes (G2). Two for two after beating Kelly’s Humor in Keeneland’s Beaumont Stakes (G3), she’ll be ridden by Corey Nakatani for trainer by Richard Baltas. The daughter of Into Mischief, who has earned $126,000 to date, was consigned by Old South Farm LLC, Agent, to the 2017 OBS March Sale, and sold for $240,000 after breezing an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
She’ll be joined in the Eight Belles starting gate by Team Valor International, Rodolphe Brisset & Stephen McKay’s Talk Verve to Me, who tries stakes company for the first time after a win and a second in her only two starts. Consigned by RiceHorse Stables, Agent, the filly by Violence worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before going through the ring at the 2017 OBS March Sale. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. watch her under tack video
The five furlong Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G3) has attracted a pair of OBS graduates.
Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC’s Bucchero is looking to earn a trip to Royal Ascot with a good performance. He’ll be ridden by Fernando De La Cruz for trainer Tim Glyshaw. A 6-year-old son of Kantharos, he has five stakes wins to his credit, the most recent a victory in Keeneland’s Woodford Stakes (G2) in November. Now 26-10-6-2 with $770,741 in earnings, he was consigned by Southern Chase Farm (Greg & Karen Dodd), Agent, to the 2014 OBS June Sale, where he sped a quarter in :21 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Jaguar Racing LLC’s Kid Perfect goes in the Turf Sprint for trainer Angel Montano, Sr. The 4-year-old stakes placed gelding by Majesticperfection, who will be ridden by Florent Geroux, has compiled a 16-3-2-1 record and earned $94,655. The 2016 OBS April graduate was purchased for $50,000 out of the RiceHorse Stable consignment after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch his under tack video
Mossarosa’s graded stakes placed Giuseppe the Great is entered in the mile and a sixteenth Alysheba Stakes (G2). A 4-year-old graded stakes placed son of Lookin At Lucky, he’s now 13-2-3-2 with $486,240 in earnings and will be ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Nick Zito. Consigned to the 2016 OBS March Sale by Crupi’s New Castle Farm, Agent, he went through the ring after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch his under tack video