Kentucky Oaks Draws 121 Nominees

The names of 121 fillies were on the nomination list for the 140th Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), just one more than last year, when the early deadline closed Feb. 22.

Churchill Downs announced the nominees in a press release Feb. 28.

Heading the list for the Oaks, to be run May 2, is 2013 champion juvenile filly She's a Tiger; grade I winners Fashion Plate, Sweet Reason, and Ria Antonia, multiple graded stakes winners Untapable and Onlyforyou, and stakes winner Unbridled Forever. 

She's a Tiger was honored with the Eclipse Award in the 2-year-old fillies division last year after winning the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) and finishing first in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park before being  demoted to second her for interference in the homestretch with Ria Antonia. Jeff Bonde trains the Southern California-based filly for Mark Dedomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, Stuart Downey and Philip Lebherz.

Also nominated are Winchell Thoroughbreds's recent Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) winner Untapable; Christopher Dunn and Loooch Racing Stable's Ria Antonia, who was recently transferred to trainer Bob Baffert; Arnold Zetcher and Michael Tabor's Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) winner Fashion Plate; Charles Fipke's Silverbulletday Stakes winner Unbridled Forever, a daughter of 2006 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever who won the race at odds of 47-1 in the biggest upset in Oaks' history; and Treadway Racing Stable's 2013 Spinaway (gr.II) winner Sweet Reason. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has sent out three Oaks winners including 2013 victress Princess of Sylmar, is represented by 17 nominees. Pletcher's nominees are headed by Glencrest Farm's unbeaten Onlyforyou, who captured the 2014 Davona  Dale Stakes (gr. II) and Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) to begin the year. 

Other Pletcher trainees on the roster of Kentucky Oaks nominees include Alto Racing's Sweet Whiskey, Bobby Flay's unbeaten Dame Dorothy and Fierce Boots, Repole Stable's Stopchargingmaria and Our Amazing Rose, and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Philip Steinberg's Got Lucky.

A late nomination period for Kentucky Oaks is underway through April 9 and will require payment of a $1,500 fee. 

After that , a final opportunity to make a filly eligible for the Kentucky Oaks is available through the race's supplemental nomination process, which requires a $30,000 fee at the time of entry to the 2014 Longines Kentucky Oaks April 29.