Clairiere, Pauline's Pearl Turn in Final Works for Oaks

The only 3-year-old classic contenders to work at Churchill Downs April 25 were Clairiere  and Pauline's Pearl , a pair of Stonestreet Stables homebreds trained by Steve Asmussen preparing for the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Both fillies breezed during the 7:30 a.m. ET training window for Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Kentucky Oaks contenders.

Pauline's Pearl was the first to breeze over the main track that was rated good after rain settled in the Louisville, Ky., area the day before. The gray or roan Tapit   filly traveled a half-mile in :50 3/5 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian, with splits of :13 and :25 2/5

Next up was Clairiere. The bay daughter of Curlin   worked a half-mile in :49 3/5 under exercise rider Angel Garcia. She was timed through splits of :11 4/5 and :23 4/5, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03 2/5.

Asmussen was aboard a stable pony while overseeing the works on track.

"I wanted to be there, pick them up, more so than watch," Asmussen said. "Pauline's Pearl went first with Wilson. Pulling up, first words, I said 'how did it feel?' and he said 'beautiful.' Angel comes around on Clairiere, first words out of his mouth were 'great.' I think they're good measures, they're extremely familiar with the horses, they're regular riders."

Pauline's Pearl enters the Kentucky Oaks off a breakthrough victory in the April 3 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. Both her dam, Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner Hot Dixie Chick , and her stakes-winning full brother, Union Jackson  , were also trained by Asmussen for Barbara Banke of Stonestreet.

Clairiere won the Feb. 13 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots over fellow Kentucky Oaks contender Travel Column , then finished second to that rival in the March 20 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Her sire was a two-time Horse of the Year trained by Asmussen for Stonestreet and she is the first foal out of Stonestreet's Cavorting , who was trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and won the Personal Ensign (G1), Ogden Phipps (G1), and Longines Test (G1) stakes.

"Both of those fillies have lived up to their pedigrees as well as added to them, but it's indicative of the Stonestreet breeding program," Asmussen said.

Stonestreet is also the breeder of Kentucky Oaks contender and Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) winner Malathaat  (owned by Shadwell Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher), as well as Kentucky Derby contender and Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Midnight Bourbon  (owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Asmussen).