With Tarifa, Godolphin Aims for Kentucky Oaks Repeat

It took some time for Godolphin to secure its first Kentucky Oaks (G1), but Sheikh Mohammed's successful international breeding and racing operation might not need to wait long for a second victory in the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies.

Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said it was "out of this world" for Sheikh Mohammed to land that first Oaks with Pretty Mischievous  last year. New adventures await in 2024 as Godolphin homebred Tarifa  enters the $1.5 million test off a three-race win streak that includes back-to-back grade 2 scores at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots.

Those two races, the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), were the same races Pretty Mischievous prepped in for the 2023 Oaks, winning the first and finishing second in the latter. Tarifa did her one better as she improved to three wins in as many starts this season with victories in both of those 1 1/16-mile races.

Now Tarifa, who is from the penultimate crop of the late classic winner Bernardini, will stretch out an extra half-furlong for Friday's test under Flavien Prat—who was aboard for both Fair Grounds stakes wins.

For current Kentucky Oaks odds, go to BloodHorse.com and scroll down.

One change from last year is the trainer, as Godolphin employs a number of conditioners in the United States. Brendan Walsh trained Pretty Mischievous, while two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox will saddle Tarifa.

"Look, this filly is very good," said Cox, who is looking for his third Oaks victory. "She's showed up and had a great winter at the Fair Grounds—had three wins, all around two turns. She actually overcame a good bit last time in the Fair Grounds Oaks. It was a short field, but she had a little bit of a rough run to the first turn and kind of was pulling a little bit going up the backside—Flavien had to take up a little bit going into the first turn.

"For her to stay on and finish up the way she did last time, I thought really showed how good she is.  And based off the pedigree, I think she can handle the mile and an eighth. I'm looking forward to giving her the opportunity."

Kentucky-bred Tarifa is the first foal out of Kite Beach, by Awesome Again. Tarifa's second dam is grade 2 winner Tizdubai, a full sister to two-time Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Tiznow.

While Tarifa looks to build on momentum, Just F Y I  will look to regain the form that carried her to an Eclipse Award as champion juvenile filly last year. The daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify   had to be scratched from the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) March 2 at Gulfstream Park because of a fever but appears well-positioned to build on a solid first start of the season after finishing second to Leslie's Rose  in the 1 1/16-mile Ashland Stakes (G1) April 5 at Keeneland. 

After that effort, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado agreed that the champion likely needed a race and should be able to move forward off it.

"I think she's a little more mature now and doing very well," Mott said. "She seems like having the race at Keeneland under her belt, she's begun to wake up. Sometimes it takes a race to really put them on edge and I think we accomplished that with her race in the Ashland. Hopefully, it will move her forward."

Since the Blue Grass, Just F Y I has been very busy—working three times at Churchill, including earning a bullet April 22 with a five-furlong breeze in :59 4/5. Alvarado, who captured the lucrative Saudi Cup (G1) aboard Senor Buscador  this year, loves how Just F Y I, a homebred for George Krikorian, has been handling the Churchill surface in the morning.

"She's traveling as good as you want a horse to travel over this ground and that makes me happy because she's a lengthy filly. I just love my chances," said Alvarado, whose filly will break from post 13. "She's handled the track and been galloping every day with good energy, that's all you can ask."

While Just F Y I looks to return to her winning ways in the Oaks, Whisper Hill Farm's Leslie's Rose cleared a similar hurdle with a three-length victory in the Ashland. The 1-2 favorite in the Davona Dale, Leslie's Rose, in her first try at two turns, would finish third to Fiona's Magic  and Into Champagne  (both entered in the Oaks) that day before turning things around at Keeneland.

The daughter of five-time leading sire Into Mischief   will have to overcome the outside post in the expected field of 14 (that also includes two also-eligibles), but the Ashland victory added to trainer Todd Pletcher's confidence.

"I thought the Ashland proved that she can handle two turns," Pletcher said. "I think the mile and an eighth, she's going to enjoy. So we're really, really happy with where she is at the moment."

Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner Power Squeeze  brings the longest win streak into the race at four, while the runner-up from that race, Ways and Means , boasts a grade 1-placing in last year's Spinaway Stakes.

The lone Southern California-based filly in the field is Where's My Ring , who punched her ticket after trainer Val Brinkerhoff shipped her across the country for the Gazelle Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, where she drew off to a 4 1/4-length win.

Thorpedo Anna  enters off a four-length score in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) March 30 at Oaklawn Park. The daughter of Fast Anna  boasts three wins from four starts, and in those three victories she won by a combined 21 1/2 lengths.