Four-Time Oaks Winner Pletcher Points Nest to Ashland

After winning the 2021 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs with Malathaat , his fourth win in the race, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher hopes to build upon that success with a promising group of 3-year-old fillies in 2022.

In addition to starting Robert and Lawana Law's Classy Edition  in the Davona Dale Stakes Presented by FanDuel (G2) at Gulfstream Park March 5, he has at least several others pointed toward the Oaks, including stakes winners Nest  and Shahama .

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House's Nest is currently sixth in the Kentucky Oaks standings with 20 points. The Curlin   bay captured the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle Stakes (G2) in December at Aqueduct Racetrack and romped to victory by six lengths in the mile-and-40-yard Suncoast Stakes Feb. 12 in her seasonal debut at Tampa Bay Downs. 

KHK Racing's Shahama, meanwhile, will start for Pletcher in the U.S. this spring after winning the UAE Oaks Presented by Jafza (G3) at Meydan for trainer Fawzi Abdulla Nass. In that race, the daughter of Munnings   overcame a sluggish start to win by two lengths. She is 4-for-4.

Out of the Belong to Me  mare Private Feeling , Shahama is a half sister to two-time champion Lookin At Lucky   and multiple graded stakes winner Kensei . She has 50 Oaks points, safely securing her entry in the May 6 Oaks.

"We're excited about getting her in. I believe the plan will be to come to Florida and prepare for the Oaks," Pletcher said. "I think we would just train up to the Oaks, but we need to see how she is and how quickly she acclimates before making any firm decisions."

Pletcher said Nest will likely target the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) April 8 at Keeneland, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. 

"I'm very pleased with her comeback race and excited about how she came out of it," Pletcher said. 

Pletcher also conditions multiple graded stakes-placed Oaks hopeful Goddess of Fire  (fifth, 22 points), who finished second in the Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) Feb. 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for Red Oak Stable.

As for the 2021 Oaks winner, Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, she is training at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida, where she has breezed twice ahead of a 4-year-old campaign. 

"She's done super," Pletcher said. "She's had two easy three-eighths and we'll start to pick things up a little bit as we go along. I'm very happy with her and looking forward to a big year from her."

The regally bred daughter of Curlin out of grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia  boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 8-6-1-1 with purse earnings in excess of $1.7 million. She won three grade 1s last year and closed out her season with a third in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). She was voted champion 3-year-old filly of 2021.

"It would be picking on her to say she has any real weaknesses," Pletcher said. "I was watching the replay of the Distaff the other day and she had a pretty difficult trip in there and got bounced around at the top of the stretch and still fought on gamely on the inside and was only beaten a half-length."

Pletcher said he is looking forward to campaigning Malathaat as an older horse.

"She's one we always felt would continue to get better as she aged. We're excited about having her back and hoping we can have the type of year we would hope to have from her," Pletcher said.