Kathleen O. Stays Perfect in Gulfstream Park Oaks
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Kathleen O. keeps her perfect record intact with a Gulfstream Park Oaks score at Gulfstream Park
Odds told contrasting tales in the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) April 2 at Gulfstream Park.
Realistically, what are the odds of having a one-horse stable, and also having a 3-year-old filly good enough to be one of the favorites for a top race such as the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1)?
Before anyone takes out a calculator, rest assured they are astronomically higher than the 1-2 odds and the $3 winning payoff for Kathleen O. in the Gulfstream Park Oaks.
Yet those were indeed the odds that framed the victory as the daughter of Upstart improved her perfect record to 4-for-4 with a 2 3/4-length victory over Goddess of Fire at Gulfstream. That win will propel the lone horse in training owned by octogenarian Patrick Kearney of Winngate Stables into the May 6 Kentucky Oaks on a note as high as the twin spires at Churchill Downs.
"This is kind of a miracle," trainer Shug McGaughey said. "(Kearney) gets one horse and it's this one. If he doesn't have any more fun, which he will, you know he's had a lot of fun already."
Kathleen O. makes her winning move
The "fun" will move to Churchill Downs next month where the late-running style of the undefeated Kathleen O. should be well-suited for the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Kentucky Oaks, a race McGaughey won for the first and only time, to date, in his Hall of Fame career back in 1993 with Dispute.
"The Kentucky Oaks is a big spot for me. I really like it. I won it one time," McGaughey said. "I don't remember the thrill and I'd like to have it again."
Kathleen O. picked up 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks through Saturday's win, though she was already safely in the 14-horse field thanks to the 50 points she secured in winning the March 5 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream, where she has posted her last three wins, all stakes company, with impressive rallies from the back of the field.
"I think she wants to run a distance of ground," McGaughey said. "She's by Upstart, who is by Flatter . She's out of a (Blame ) mare. That was one of the things that attracted me to her, when I saw her pedigree. She does everything right and does it pretty easy."
Out of Quaver by Blame, Kathleen O. was bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Bridlewood Farm in Kentucky and was purchased by McGaughey on behalf of Kearney for $275,000 from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Kathleen O. was the first horse purchased by Kearney, who also bought a Noble Mission filly named Cloudy for $130,000 later at that sale. Cloudy has not raced or worked recently since two unplaced finishes at 2. Kearney told Gulfstream media Saturday that she is rehabbing.
A field of six 3-year-old fillies contested the GP Oaks, but it was basically a two-filly race. Red Oak Stable's Goddess of Fire, second choice at 8-5, forged to the front on the final turn with Kathleen O. rallying to her outside, and the two favorites slugged it out to the wire with the others far behind.
Goddess of Fire, a homebred daughter of Mineshaft , held a short lead near the quarter pole after six furlongs in 1:12.50, but could not fend off Kathleen O. and jockey Javier Castellano, who grabbed the lead approaching the eighth pole and pulled away in the final furlong to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.75.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Goddess of Fire was 17 1/4 lengths ahead of third place finisher Running Legacy and earned 40 points to give her a total of 62 and secure a spot in the Kentucky Oaks field.
"She ran super," Pletcher said about the 8-5 second choice. "(Jockey Luis Saez) tried to spread the race in the middle of the turn and the favorite just ran her down, but I was pleased with her effort."
Edward A. Seltzer's Running Legacy, a Gun Runner filly from the barn of meet-leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., picked up 20 points and Amani's Image received 10 for a fourth-place finish.
Kathleen O., who has earned $379,730, is the first foal from Quaver, whose next three foals are a 2-year-old colt and yearling and weanling fillies, all by Tapwrit .