Streaking Phaeton Heads Gulfstream Oaks

Ekati's Phaeton, winner of the one-mile Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) at 26-1 Feb. 21 at Gulfstream Park, tacks on an additional sixteenth of a mile and the likely favorite's role in the $250,000 Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II) Saturday, March 28.



The Oaks will go as race 12 on the card that features seven graded stakes highlighted by the day's finale, the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr .I).



Owned by the John Dowd-led partnership group Phaedrus Flights that originally intended to pinhook the 3-year-old Tale of Ekati   filly, Ekati's Phaeton has led them to the winner's circle in four of seven attempts and four of five races at Gulfstream Park.



Winner of the six-furlong Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 3, Ekati's Phaeton faded late to finish fourth behind Birdatthewire in the seven-furlong Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 24. In the Davona Dale she grabbed the early lead and held the entire way, edging Birdatthewire by a neck. StarLadies Racing's Eskenformoney, the 7-2 favorite in the Davona Dale, was a neck back in third after stalking Ekati's Phaeton throughout.



"She has a tremendous amount of speed, and we are seeing if we can lengthen it out," said Ekati's Phaeton's trainer Bill Kaplan. "It's all a progression, and this is a test of two turns. Training-wise, she's doing well going into this race and she's learned how to relax a little bit.



"Speed and talent and heart, she's got all that," he said. "Now we've got to make sure we've got the ability to not use the speed early and that's what the two turns is all about."



Ekati's Phaeton is out of Seventh Veil, by Capote, and was bred in Kentucky by Carrie and Craig Brogden's Machmer Hall and Haymarket Farm. A $50,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. August yearling buy, she was a buy-back for $150,000 last year at the OBS March sale.



Forum Racing's Birdatthewire broke from post four in the Davona Dale and will have to break from the outside eight post in the Oaks. The daughter of Summer Bird will be reunited with rider Irad Ortiz Jr. who was aboard for her score in the Forward Gal. The bay filly, a $23,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale buy, was bred in Kentucky by Lynn and Kathy Jones and is out of the stakes-placed Wagon Limit mare My Limit.



Eskenformoney is by Eskendereya  —But for Money, by Not For Love  . She won back to back races at Gulfstream for trainer Todd Pletcher prior to her stakes debut in the Davona Dale. She's posted a pair of works at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for the Oaks.



"She ran super last time," Pletcher said. "She just couldn't quite get by the winner and lost a bob for second. It seemed like it was hard to make up some ground in the one-turn races that day, so I thought she ran well all things considered."



Adding to the Oaks mix is GSN Racing's Cristina's Journey, winner of last year's Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) at Churchilll Downs who will make her 2015 bow in the Oaks. The bay filly by Any Given Saturday is trained by Dale Romans, who also sends out Birdatthewire and Sweet Swingin, a supplemental nomination.



Stronach Stables' Devine Aida, also a supplemental nomination, steps up to graded stakes while riding a four-race win streak. A two-time winner on turf, including a score in the 7 1/2-furlong Ginger Brew Stakes Jan. 3, she went wire to wire in the slop in the off-the-turf Herecomesthebride Stakes Feb. 28. The early speed of the daughter of Unbridled's Song, and the fact she breaks just to the outside of Ekati's Phaeton, could make for an interesting pace scenario in the Oaks.