LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Rusty Arnold's mindset began to shift April 17. So, too, did that of fellow trainer John Servis.
The barns of Todd Pletcher, Doug O'Neill and Steve Asmussen also were feeling emboldened.
142nd Kentucky Oaks
Today, Grade I, $1 million, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-old fillies, Churchill Downs, post time 4:49 p.m. Central (NBCSN)
PP. HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1 Terra Promessa Santana 10-1
2 Weep No More Lanerie 9-2
3 Lewis Bay Ortiz 8-1
4 Go Maggie Go Saez 12-1
5 Dream Dance Hernandez 30-1
6 Mokat Prat 20-1
7 Mo d’Amour Velazquez 30-1
8 Royal Obsession Franco 20-1
9 Paola Queen Jaramillio 30-1
10 Venus Valentine Bridgmohan 30-1
11 Rachel’s Valentina Geroux 7-2
12 Cathryn Sophia Castellano 9-2
13 Land Over Sea Guiterrez 5-1
14 Taxable Nakatani 20-1
No horseman wants to benefit from another's misfortune. But when unbeaten champion Songbird -- the filly regarded by some as the best 3-year-old of either gender -- was declared out of the Kentucky Oaks last month due to a low-grade fever, a door of opportunity previously thought to be all but sealed was busted open.
"The Oaks with Songbird out has just opened it up in a way," said Asmussen, who is set to saddle three Oaks starters today in Terra Promessa, Royal Obsession and Taxable -- all three of which raced at Oaklawn Park this year. "I think her missing the race has got everyone thinking things that we weren't thinking a month ago. This was a dominant filly in the division. And here we are with some nice, talented but well-matched fillies."
The 1 1/8-mile Oaks could end up in the lap of any of the 14 entrants in the $1 million test for 3-year-old fillies. Hidden in the long shadow Songbird cast is a depth-laden group.
Grade I winner Rachel's Valentina was installed as the 7-2 favorite out of post No. 11. As the daughter of 2009 Kentucky Oaks winner and Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, the bay filly is vying to make her Hall of Fame dam the first Oaks winner to produce an Oaks winner.
In her first start since running second to Songbird in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Rachel's Valentina was beaten just a neck by fellow Oaks entrant Weep No More in the Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 9. Although she won the Grade I Spinaway Stakes going 7 furlongs in September, Pletcher has always believed that two turns and more distance is where his charge would shine.
"She came [to our barn] as advertised," Pletcher said. "And right from the start, she did everything right. She learned quickly."
Entering a starting gate without Songbird has made life easier for Land Over Sea. The lightly built daughter of Bellamy Road had lost five consecutive races to the reigning juvenile filly champion -- finishing second three times during that span -- but was finally able to show her class when she shipped out of California to win the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks by 4½ lengths March 26.
By sheer margin, multiple graded stakes winner Cathryn Sophia had been even more dominant than Songbird, winning her first four starts by a combined 41½ lengths. The fiery daughter of Street Boss was initially ruled out of Oaks contention after she ran third in the Ashland, leading Servis to speculate that maybe the distance was beyond her scope.
"I'm a little concerned about the 1 1/8 miles with her," Servis said. "But as good as she ran in the Ashland, especially with Songbird being out, I think she definitely deserved a chance."
Sports on 05/06/2016