Oaks Favoritism Goes to Stellar Wind

Kosta Hronis, owner of Stellar Wind, was honored when his 3-year-old filly was installed the 7-2 favorite for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). All she has to do now is go out and win the nine-furlong race May 1 at Churchill Downs.



"I'm not sure what everyone else is going to do, but for her to win she's going to have to do something special," Hronis said.



He's right.



The Oaks drew a full field of 14 fillies with Peace and War, a grade I winner at 2, on the also-eligible list. That's a testament to the strength and depth of this year's field.



Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and The Elkstone Group's Condo Commando, a grade I and two-time grade II winner in New York, and Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's I'm a Chatterbox, winner of all three filly prep races at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots were pegged as the co-second choices at 4-1.



The latter is trained by Larry Jones, who also will send out Brereton C. Jones' Lovely Maria, winner of the April 4 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.

BALAN: Lovely Maria Claims First Stakes in Ashland



"I believe there are 13 or 14 fillies in here that can win this race," Jones laughed before the draw. "I can't make a case for 14 horses to win the Derby. You wish everybody the best of luck but this Oaks field, there's not a standout horse and there's not a weak horse. It's equally matched up."



Stellar Wind is the best of the West, having won both the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) and Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. She was a private purchase by Hronis following a pair of starts last year at Laurel Park for Barbara Houck and trainer Donald Barr.



Bloodstock agent David Ingordo witnessed her maiden win Dec. 18 and got in contact with Hronis and trainer John Sadler. After traveling to Maryland to see the horse, Ingordo got the deal together.



"To our surprise, when we got her out to Southern California, she was better than advertised," Hronis said. "She 'wowed' us right off the bat. She's not big, but she's really sharp on the track. She makes it look so easy, so effortless."



Stellar Wind is a daughter of Curlin   and is the first foal of the Malibu Moon   mare Evening Star. She was bred in Virginia by Peggy Augustus' Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and is a half sister to two stakes winners.

HAMMONDS: Stellar Wind Rolls in Santa Anita Oaks

She'll need that pedigree and more to run down Condo Commando, a pint-sized Tiz Wonderful filly whom trainer Rudy Rodriquez said would be on the lead in the Oaks.



Dubb, with assistance from agent Kim Valerio, bought her for $72,000 from breeder Spendthrift Farm at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. She is out of the multiple grade II winner Yearly Report, by General Meeting. Slipped into a $75,000 maiden claiming race at Saratoga Race Course for her debut last year, she won by 12 lengths.



"We knew she could run, but she hadn't fully matured and Rudy felt she had some issues," Dubb said of her first outing. "The walk from the box to the winner's circle was one of the longest walks I ever took, hoping there wasn't a claim ticket in for her."



Condo Commando then won the grade I Spinaway Stakes by 13 1/4 lengths, but stubbed her toe in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I), finishing fourth. Skipping the Breeders' Cup by design, she later added the Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II). This year she cruised in Aqueduct's Busher and Gazelle (gr. II) stakes.



"Her detractors have said she's been on speed-favoring tracks and she's run against weak competition," Dubb said. "I don't know what to tell you. We're racing on the New York Racing Association circuit."

HAMMONDS: Patience Key for Condo Commando



Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing, which has Puca for the Oaks, is concerned about Condo Commando.



"It's the deepest Oaks field I've seen, but one thing it doesn't have is as much front-end speed as I'd like to see. I don't know who is going to go with 'Commando,' " he said. "Somebody is going to have to go after her, because she is capable of taking it on the front end."



Jones' pair worked April 26, with Lovely Maria getting five furlongs in :59 3/5 under regular rider Kerwin Clark and I'm a Chatterbox getting the same trip in 1:01 with Florent Geroux up.

HAMMONDS: Jones Fillies Drill for Kentucky Oaks



"This work the other day... if you could write a script for a movie and have it as your work, that is what you would want," Jones said of Lovely Maria's move. "She just got stronger as the work went on. This was her first day back at the track and she's full of life right now."



Either filly would be the third Oaks winner for Jones, who won with Proud Spell in 2008 and Believe You Can in 2012. Both were owned by former Gov. Brereton Jones. Gov. Jones, owner of Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky., is also the co-owner of Include Betty (with Airdrie manager Tim Thornton).



Include Betty, who will break next to Lovely Maria in post 8, came from 13 lengths off the pace to win the Fantasy Stakes (gr. III) April 4 at Oaklawn Park by a neck. Second was Gary and Mary West's Oceanwave, another Oaks player. Oceanwave, a daughter of Harlan's Holiday, was second in the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) prior to the Fantasy.



The Honeybee was won by Joe Ragsdale's Sarah Sis, who has a 3-3-0 slate from seven starts. In her first trip at a mile she rallied sharply to just miss catching 2-year-old filly champ Take Charge Brandi in Oaklawn's Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31.



Sarah Sis, trained by Ingrid Mason, will be ridden in the Oaks by Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens, a two-time Oaks winner with Tiffany Lass (1986) and Silverbulletday (1999).

HAMMONDS: Sarah Sis a Sibling With a Shot in the Oaks



Another strong candidate for the Oaks is Forum Racing's Birdatthewire (6-1 morning line), winner of two of the three stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Summer Bird was pipped a neck in the other one, the mile Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II). Birdatthewire, bred in Kentucky by Lynn and Kathy Jones, broke her maiden under the Twin Spires last November.

HAMMONDS: Forum Racing 'Wired' for the Oaks



Eskenformoney (20-1), was second to Birdatthewire in the March 28 Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) and was the beaten favorite in the Davona Dale.



Angela Renee (15-1) was second to Lovely Maria in the Ashland and won last year's Chandelier Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita. The daughter of Bernardini   is a full sister to multiple grade I winner To Honor and Serve  .



As deep as this field is, Stellar Wind is still the one to beat.



"We just hope she stays out of traffic and hopefully everything falls into place," Hronis said. "It's an honor having the favorite considering I've only been in the business about five years."



He's right.