Abel Tasman Gears Up for Kentucky Oaks Run

China Horse Club and Clearsky Farms' Abel Tasman put in a stiff, quality work April 28 and for good reason.

"It better be good if she's going to try to catch Paradise Woods," trainer Bob Baffert said of the runaway Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner, who bested Abel Tasman by 11 3/4 lengths last time out. "She looked unbelievable that day."

The Quality Road   filly, who won the Dec. 10 Starlet Stakes (G1) and ran second behind Unique Bella in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) March 4 for trainer Simon Callaghan before moving to Baffert's barn, went on the work tab for seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5, but was asked for more run after the wire by jockey Martin Garcia and continued to work strongly well into the clubhouse turn at Santa Anita Park.

Abel Tasman, who made her first start for Baffert in the Santa Anita Oaks, seems to have reason to improve upon her last effort, when she broke slowly under jockey Mike Smith, moved up in the backstretch, dropped back again, and finished with a wide trip to come in second.

"When I first got her, she was sick, so I missed some (training) days with her and took it easy with her," Baffert said. "I was going to run her in Arkansas, but with Unique Bella out (of the Santa Anita Oaks), I thought she'd be good enough to beat those, but I didn't know they had another stealth missile in there.

"She got away a little slow and Mike gave her the Arrogate ride, but that only works on one horse."

Baffert also made a tweak in equipment for Abel Tasman for her next try against Paradise Woods in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). He has added the slightest of blinkers during workouts and will keep them on for the race May 5 at Churchill Downs.

"Martin worked her and said she needed blinkers, then Mike came back and said she needed blinkers," Baffert said. "They're little ones and they just keep her focused. She'll be competitive now, but it's a tough deal. There are some really good fillies in there. She needs to get away and not be so far back."

It will be a different kind of week for Baffert, with no entry in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), but he will still ship a contingent for Oaks Day. Along with Abel Tasman, American Freedom is scheduled to run in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba Stakes (G2)—his first start since finishing second, 13 1/2 lengths behind Arrogate, in the 2016 Travers Stakes (G1)—and Baffert is also considering running American Cleopatra, American Pharoah  's full sister, in an allowance race.

American Freedom also worked seven furlongs Friday, in 1:24 1/5.

"It just feels like another week," Baffert joked. "I'll just read about everybody else. American Freedom is in a tough spot off a long layoff, but he's doing really well."