Vexatious Stands Out in Oaks Move

By Gregory A. Hall and Alicia Wincze Hughes

One Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) filly that worked April 28 stood out for her attire—if nothing else—during Churchill Downs' special training time reserved for horses in its two biggest races.

Calumet Farm's Vexatious wore a plain yellow saddle towel making some onlookers wonder the identity of the mystery horse as she worked among male Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) contenders, in marked yellow towels, and her Oaks counterparts, in pink towels, on the track at the same time.

Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, who doubled as the hot walker for his Oaks filly, said the use of the unmarked towel was just his preference.

"We're not going to change it," said Drysdale, who was happy to discuss Vexatious' six-furlong work in 1:14 3/5, even while holding the halter as the daughter of Giant's Causeway   was bathed afterward. "She handles this track well," he said.

Vexatious has three third-place finishes this year—one against males in a field that featured Derby contender Battle of Midway and the others coming in the Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and Fantasy Stakes (G3), both in April.

She broke her maiden second time out last November at Del Mar and then didn't race again until the March allowance race where she was third behind Battle of Midway and Reach the World. Drysdale said much of the catalyst behind picking that spot for her seasonal bow was due to the wet winter in Southern California and avoiding a debut against the now-sidelined Unique Bella.

"We wouldn't be doing this unless we thought she had a chance," said Drysdale, who won the Kentucky Derby with Fusaichi Pegasus   in 2000 and is looking for his third Oaks win, having won with Bold 'n Determined in 1980 and Princess Rooney in 1983. "The extra sixteenth of a mile will help, a lot."

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who rode the filly in a workout equivalent of a pickup mount as a favor to Drysdale, said the time matched the instructions he received. 

"She was right on the money," Hernandez said. "She cruised right around there really nicely and finished off really good."

Vexatious, whose regular rider is Kent Desormeaux, was clocked in :49 3/5 for the half-mile.

Her career has been complicated by "lots" of troubled trips "in every single race," Drysdale said. "So far she hasn't had a clean trip yet. But her day will come."

The rough trips will give Vexatious needed experience, Drysdale said, "because this is a rough race. ... She's due a nice smooth trip."



Casse getting Sassy

After a crucial morning that saw his barn send reigning juvenile champion Classic Empire out for a four-furlong move, trainer Mark Casse was relaxed enough to toss out some bulletin board material. 

Not only did the Canadian Hall of Fame conditioner say he wasn't feeling the pressure of having the expected Kentucky Derby favorite in his barn, he proclaimed he may also be housing the one to beat come Oaks day.

Casse talked up his chances of having the Oaks-Derby double hit his barn this season after sending Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner Salty out for a four-furlong move in company with stablemate Summer Luck at Churchill Downs Friday.

With Unique Bella sidelined, the Wayne Catalano-trained multiple graded stakes winner Farrell has inherited much of the Oaks hype with Richard Mandella protege Paradise Woods also throwing her name into the hat as a potential race favorite in the wake of her 11 3/4-length triumph in the April 8 Santa Anita Oaks (G1).

Lest anyone try and frame the Oaks a two-filly showdown, Casse countered that Salty didn't exactly have a trip for the ages during her Gulfstream Park Oaks outing and still prevailed by 4 1/4 lengths in her third career start. Already emboldened by Classic Empire's final work, Casse was further pumped up after watching Salty cover a half-mile in :48 2/5 while registering splits of :12 1/5 and :24 1/5 with a gallop out in 1:01.40.

"I thought she went super. I think Salty... who knows how good Salty is," Casse said. "There is a filly who won the Gulfstream Park Oaks,  who had nothing go her way, and still just won impressively. Obviously we've got Dick Mandella's filly coming in but I think they have to beat us."

Tequilita, second to Salty in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and winner of the Forward Gal Stakes (G2), also worked a half-mile on Friday, covering the distance in :48 with splits of :11 3/5, :23, :35 2/5 and out in 1:01 4/5  and 1:16, while fellow Oaks contender Jordan's Henny went five furlongs in 1:02 2/5. With trainer Brendan Walsh aboard, Wicked Lick breezed a half-mile in :49 3/5 in company with Stormy Louise.

Over at Keeneland Friday, graded stakes winner Daddys Lil Darling  went five furlongs in company in 1:01 4/5 under jockey Julien Leparoux in her final serious Oaks preparation.