Kentucky Oaks Attracts 154 Nominees

There are 154 fillies on the list of early nominees to the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), including Willis Horton's 2014 champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi.

 

Churchill Downs announced the nominees for the 141st edition of the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks, to be run Friday, May 1, in a Feb. 27 press release.

 

This year's early nomination total marks a 27.3% increase from the 121 fillies made eligible during the early nomination period in 2014, and it is the highest total since 170 fillies were nominated in 2009. The Oaks early nomination record is 192 in 2007.

 

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Take Charge Brandi secured divisional honors with victories in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park, the Delta Princess Stakes (gr. III) at Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino, and the Starlet Stakes (gr. I) at Los Alamitos Race Course. She opened her 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31 at Oaklawn Park to improve her career record to 5-1-0 from nine starts and $1,680,126 in earnings. 

 

A Kentucky Oaks victory by Take Charge Brandi would provide 79-year-old Lukas his fifth Kentucky Oaks victory but first since a win in the 1990 Oaks by Seaside Attraction. Lukas is tied with Calumet Farm's Ben Jones for second place in Kentucky Oaks victories and trails only fellow Hall of Fame conditioner Woody Stephens, who had five career victories in the Kentucky Oaks. Lukas' other Oaks winners were Blush With Pride (1982), Lucky Lucky Lucky (1984) and eventual 3-year-old filly champion Open Mind (1989).

 

Other early nominees for this year's race include Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's I'm a Chatterbox, winner this year of the Rachel Alexandra (gr. III) and Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and The Elkstone Group's Condo Commando, a winner of the 2014 Spinaway (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course and Demoiselle (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Condo Commando opened her 3-year-old season with a victory in the listed Busher Stakes Feb. 21 at Aqueduct.

 

Other prominent fillies taking aim on the Kentucky Oaks include Spendthrift Farm's Callback, winner of Las Virgenes (gr. I) Jan. 31 at Santa Anita Park, Siena Farm's Angela Renee, winner of the 2014 Chandelier (gr. I) at the same track; Forum Racing's 2015 Forward Gal (gr. II) winner Birdatthewire; GSN Racing's Cristina's Journey, winner of the 2014 Pocahontas (gr. II) at Churchill Downs; and Phaedrus Stable's Ekati's Phaeton, winner of the Davona Dale (gr. II) Feb. 21 at Gulfstream Park.

 

Two-time Kentucky Oaks winning-trainer Jerry Hollendorfer nominated 17 fillies to lead all trainers in early Kentucky Oaks nominations. Todd Pletcher, also a two-time Oaks winner, nominated 14 fillies, and was followed by Kiaran McLaughlin (10), Dale Romans (six), Bob Baffert (five) and Chad Brown (five).  

 

Godolphin Racing made nine fillies eligible to compete in the Kentucky Oaks to lead all owners during the early nomination phase. Charles Fipke has the second most nominations by an owner with seven.

 

A late nomination period is under way through Wednesday, April 8, and will require a $1,500 fee. 

 

After the closing of late nominations, there will be a final opportunity to make a filly eligible for the Kentucky Oaks through the race's supplemental nomination process, which requires payment of $30,000 at the time of entry to the race on Tuesday, April 28.