KY Oaks Hopeful Shook Up Sharp in CD Workout
Description:
Regis Racing's Shook Up tuned-up for her planned run in the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) with a sparkling five-furlong work April 19 at Churchill Downs.
The Steve Asmussen-trained runner-up in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) breezed around 6:30 a.m. EDT and turned in a bullet move when she covered five furlongs in :59 flat. Shook Up's move over a fast track under exercise rider Mike Callaham ranked as the fastest of 51 works at the distance.
The 3-year-old daughter of Tapit worked in company with stablemate Indian Rocket and Churchill Downs clockers recorded internal fractions of :12 and :34 4/5 for Shook Up. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 3/5. Shook Up started her breeze a length behind her workmate and finished two lengths in front. Indian Rocket covered the distance in :59 3/5, which ranked as Sunday's second-fastest work at the distance.
The six-furlong gallop-out by Shook Up was faster than a six-furlong work by 2014 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) runner-up Commanding Curve, who covered the distance over a fast surface in 1:13.
"She's a tremendously-talented filly," Asmussen said. "I feel very good about all the time she's had here at Churchill and how comfortable she is with the surroundings."
Shook Up, who has a 1-3-0 record from five career starts, finished second to fellow Kentucky Oaks contender I'm a Chatterbox despite a wide trip in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks March 28 at the New Orleans track. She opened her career with a runner-up finish in maiden race at Churchill Downs in late November and followed her debut with a 13 1/2-length maiden victory Jan. 3 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. She finished second to eventual Central Bank Ashland (gr. I) winner and Fair Grounds Oaks runner-up Lovely Maria in an allowance optional claiming race at Fair Grounds before she turned in the only poor race of her career in a fifth-place run behind I'm a Chatterbox in the Rachel Alexandra (gr. III) Feb. 21.
Shook Up will have one more work at Churchill Downs prior to her run in the Kentucky Oaks May 1.
"We'll worry about what we have control over and get her there in as good a condition as possible," Asmussen said. "We hope to draw well and you hope you get a better trip."
Kentucky Oaks Notes: Assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy reported that Donegal Racing's homebred Puca "looked fine" on the morning after her first work at Churchill Downs. The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Big Brown , runner-up in Aqueduct's Gazelle (gr. II), breezed four furlongs in :48 1/5... Two-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer Bob Baffert said he was leaning toward a run in the Kentucky Oaks by Kaleem Shah's Luminance following her sizzling work at Churchill Downs April 18. The Tale of the Cat filly, the runner-up to Stellar Wind in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), breezed four furlongs in a bullet :46. Baffert said Maybellene, a filly owned by his wife Jill, and under consideration for an Oaks bid, would work at Churchill Downs Tuesday. The daughter of Lookin At Lucky won the Sunland Oaks via the disqualification of stablemate Callback in her most-recent start... Stall manager Steve Hargrave reports Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and The Elkstone Group's Spinaway (gr. I), Demoiselle (gr. II), Busher, and Gazelle (gr. II) winner Condo Commando, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, is expected to arrive Monday after a van ride from New York.