Kentucky Oaks Close Look - Meet the 2015 Line Up!
May 1, 2015 13:17:25 GMT -5
Haubing and Celestia like this
Post by Neco on May 1, 2015 13:17:25 GMT -5
Burning Acres - Owned by Jez
Burning Acres is a farm with a storied history on SS, with some of the oldest lines on the forum but only a recent player in the Thoroughbred industry. They bypassed the 2014 Oaks but have come back strong this year with a trio of fillies that are ready to run the rails off the track in less than a week's time. With varied running styles and almost a dozen victories between them, owner/trainer Jez is aiming for lillies as she readies her contingent for the biggest filly race of the spring.
You've qualified for your first Oaks with all three of your entries. How are you feeling right now?
Great! It's been really exciting so far.
Tell us a bit about each of your fillies.
Cloverfield is a pretty mild-mannered filly both on and off the track. She's been in the money in 12 of her 22 starts and she tries her heart out every time she runs. Royal Angel is a bit of a handful as a 16.2 bundle of nerves and muscle, and she's only just broken her maiden, leading the field from start to finish the whole way in her last start, so she's a little unpredictable. Ziva is willing enough, but I have definitely entered her in things where she was completely outmatched and not really set up for success. She runs her best anyway
Bigger doesn't always mean braver as Royal Angel throws a fit at the sight of the loading van - though she did eventually walk on after this tantrum
Ziva is the picture of patience as she waits her turn to school in the gate, giving the camera a kind eye
Your horses all have very different styles - Royal Angel loves the lead, Ziva prefers to stalk and Cloverfield is a dead closer. Do you feel like each will benefit from the others' racing styles compared to the rest of the field?
Yes, I feel having a variety of run types puts us in a good place, as opposed to entering all horses who prefer being behind as I tend to do, or who will battle one another for the best spot in the pack.
A dead closer, Cloverfield shows off a devastating turn of foot in a prior race
How do you feel about your fillies' individual chances?
I think they're reasonably good, but I'm cautiously optimistic about it. There are some incredibly talented fillies entered into this race that I think I would need a miracle to defeat.
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Hard Tack Stables - Owned by Neco
Hard Tack was one of the first Thoroughbred breeding farms established on SS and has hit the ground running in recent years. They yet have to strike in the Oaks but have several Kentucky Derby winners to their credit and were the stable to upset Bonnie's effort at the Triple Tiara last year. In 2014, there's only one filly from their barn entered in the Oaks. Owner/trainer Neco says she's that while she does have a number of talented fillies, only Chicanery displayed the precociousness needed for the Kentucky Oaks.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling?
I'm feeling fabulous! Thoroughbred racing is a huge passion of mine and I couldn't be happier to see how well it's been flourishing. I'm extremely happy with my filly's been doing, especially after a hard spring campaign and how well she's holding up against some of the best fillies I've seen in the history of the sport. I'm so excited for this year's Classics.
Chicanery walks the shedrow a day after her final workout for the Kentucky Oaks
Tell us a little about your filly Chicanery.
Chicanery is a handful - she's by Hawkstone's Sent By Ares and out of my Breeders' Cup winner Pistol Perfect and seems to have inherited some good traits from both. She loves to be on the pace like her sire and has her mother's tenacity when it comes to duking it out with other horses. She is finicky however - she can be a very all or nothing runner when her head's not in the game, and I've thrown about the idea of blinkers to maybe get her more focused. When she's good, however, she's great and has a number of close finishes in this year's preps that I'm hoping set her up for a good effort in May.
A failed experiment - Chicanery makes her distaste for blinkers perfectly clear as her handlers try to get her to the track
You played the spoiler last year for Sweet Secrets' Bonnie, who won the first legs of the Tiara. Do you see that happening again this year?
Oh gosh, I don't know, there are so many good horses entered this year I don't even have an inkling of how things are going to go! I actually felt really bad beating Bonnie last year - Gallop's a great friend of mine and I wanted so badly for her horse to win. I can pick out a number of fillies entered this year that could win any of these races and I'm right terrified of Athena Watchover - she and her sire have beaten me so many times I've lost count. I'm big fans of many of the fillies entered and whatever happens this year is gonna be bang up, I can say that for sure.
Chicanery putting in one of her last gallops before the race - with morning line favorite Athena Watchover lopes in the background
How are you feeling about Chicanery's chances come May?
I think she has a good a shot as anyone. There's so much speed in this race I feel like she may be compromised by that but depending on the post draw we could be okay. I think we can at least get into the superfecta if nothing else, and I'll be happy no matter how she places - she's quickly grown on me, quirks and all, and all I want is her to come back clean and happy.
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Hawkstone Stables - Owned by Anomaly
Hawkstone has quite the history in Thoroughbred racing on SS and has bred some of the best horses on the forum. They campaigned 2013's Preakness winner in Sent By Ares, who went on to be crowned the 2014 Horses of the Year, and the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Paris in Flames. Those two horses produced the overwhelming favorite to win this year's Oaks in Athena Watchover, and owner/trainer Anomaly has two more fillies by other impressive runners that gives her a full deck when it comes to this year's Oaks.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! You have the heavy favorite to win - how are you feeling right now?
I'm a little bit nervous, because there's a lot of pressure when you expect your horse to perform well, but I'm also very excited because Hawkstone hasn't ever had a classic-distance filly like Athena Watchover. Additionally, her last two races were not quite up to par. She didn't get the lead in either, so we've been doing a little extra gate work with her, and hopefully she won't be forced to sit behind horses again. She's come off the pace before but her best races are when she's able to get on that lead straight from the gate.
Athena was the 2yo filly champ and so far has won six of the eight qualifiers. What do you think makes her so talented?
She truly is her sire Sent By Ares, through and through. She wants to run and she wants to win, and once she's in front she's very hard to pass. That, combined with the also-exceptional talent and grit of Paris in Flames, makes her a fierce competitor. More than anything, Athena just wants to be in front and she will try her heart out every time.
After several fractious starts, Athena breaks from the training gate to sharpen her already blazing speed that saw her win 6 of the 8 filly preps
Can you tell us about Avarice and Porcelain? They seem to have been overshadowed by Athena in all of this year's pre-race coverage.
Avarice and Porcelain are both very nice fillies in their own right, and I almost feel a bit sorry that they have to compete in their stablemate's shadow. Avarice is by our stallion Animosity and out of the Hard Tack mare Royal Ransom, so she's bred to be a star and she has been reasonably competitive in the preps leading up to the Oaks. She's much more consistent than Porcelain, who tends to be a bit of an all-or-nothing kind of runner. Porcelain is a half-sister to Athena, except she's by Ares' racetrack archrival, Seattle Slew. She takes after Paris in Flames a bit more than she does her sire, preferring to sit a bit farther back before making her move. She ran a very nice third in the Ashland, and I think a repeat of that performance makes her a contender.
Avarice works in full regalia, completing five furlongs in a minute and change on an overcast day in Kentucky
Porcelain, more laid back than her half sister Athena, schools quietly in the paddock between races
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
Obviously, Athena is the most likely winner of Hawkstone's three entrants. Avarice and Porcelain would both need career-best efforts to win the Oaks, but both have shown flashes of their talent. While Porcelain is a bit more inconsistent, I think that she's the one that may benefit most from what will likely be a hot pace with the likes of Ami and the Sent by Ares filly Chicanery both being able to challenge Athena for the lead. I expect Avarice to run a solid race, as she usually does, but Porcelain is the one who I think could surprise everyone with a bang-up race just as easily as she could finish up the track.
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Honey Hoof Estates - Owned by Celestia
Honey Hoof has a long history on SS but like many of the stables participating in the Triple Tiara, they are relatively new in the Thoroughbred scene. With specific running teams called "The Wonderbolts," Honey Hoof has burst onto the scene with a bang with horses old and new. They have only one filly in this year's Oaks, but she's proven that she's just as tough as her competition. Owner/trainer Celestia is holding onto a Molotov cocktail of a horse and she's taking dead aim at those lilies this weekend.
Unfortunately, Celestia was unable to speak with us, but commentator Neco has some observations about Spitfire she'd like to share.
Neco: I bred Spitfire in conjunction with Celestia and she turned out to be a great filly. She's out of a Breeders' Cup winner by Cel's top handicapper Cigar, a horse I've always admired and a very tough stallion. She was a very rangy foal and sort of a bully - she'd boss the other foals around and had this swagger to her that you usually find in colts. Pistol Perfect, her dam, is much the same way and Spitfire looks very much like her mum; she's a fiery filly and had a tendency to grab the bit in workouts as a yearling when she was just getting started.
I've been observing her training this week up to the Oaks and it seems like she hasn't changed a bit, personality wise. She gets into that bit hard and she likes to run with her neck bowed, to try and test her rider and how much he's willing to give in to her demands. She doesn't try to dump her rider or trick them, she's kind of like a kid seeing how far she can push her parents and still learning the boundaries of what's okay and what isn't. That said, she's been training very forwardly and is up there, in my opinion, with the other fillies in this race. She's a need the lead kind of horse and with the amount of speed in this race, she's going to be tested pretty hard, but I think that's something all of these horses need at this point. I think she'll pass the test with flying colors honestly.
She's probably one of my favorite fillies my farm has produced and I can't be more thrilled that she's in the Oaks!
Spitfire prances around the paddock during her schooling session, drawing several admirers with her brazen attitude
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RKO Haven Stables - Owned by katann
RKO Haven is the grand dame of Thoroughbred racing on SS, having one of the oldest farms with some of the best bred stock on the forum. Though they have yet to strike the iron in a Triple Tiara race, every time an RKO horse is entered, people take notice; they have some of the oldest bloodlines in the forum, with storied families such as those of Fair Play and his get, and a line that has produced some of the best long distance runners in the family of their Barbaro. Owner/trainer Katann comes into the Triple Tiara with a pair of fillies that are known for their speed and their tenacity when it comes to racing.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! This is your second year running - how are you enjoying the whole experience?
I'm enjoying it very much! It's a great experience and it helps me sharpen my training practices with my horses. With my girl Annabella, I am training her to stay put once she takes the lead, but the closers seem to take her out in the end so I'm trying to work more stamina into her so she can hold on a bit longer. Mahubah just likes to stay in the 3rd place spot, I am working on her and letting her know that is is okay to stay in front, but she just wants to do what she wants to do. Horses - what can you do! [laughs] My hope for my ladies will be that they stay up with the pack and settle down enough to run a good race.
Anna is pretty as a picture as she observes the track before entering - a habit she developed early in her training as a curious yearling
You have some great fillies entered in this year's edition. Tell us a little about Muhubah and Annabella.
Mahubah is a sweet gentle mare, she loves the third place spot in the race on matter where she is in the post. She's a very strong and fast and she will give the other racers a good workout, that's for sure! Now if only I can get her to hold on to the the lead and take the win, now that will be some thing to shout about indeed. Annabella my newest racer, she is very fast and love to be the front runner, but she is still young and is building her speed. She's a daughter of my Derby entrant Otto and like her sire she has heart and is from RKO Haven's first Thoroughbreds that ran when GR came to SS. My hope for her is to just settle a bit and not burning herself out at the start of the race. Annabella will be a fine racer if she can learn that.
Mahubah is quite convinced her groom has cookies hidden in his paddocks, while Anna pricks her ears at her many admirers
Both of your girls seem to love to be on the pace - Mahubah seems to be the speedier of the two and Annabella can sit off the front runners. Do you feel that their recent efforts have set them up for a good showdown?
Yes I do! Mahubah is very willing to be up in the pack and Annabella has the speed and the heart bred in to her to be a winner. I have been working with them every day, and I will be doing training race at my track to build up more speed and staying with all my horses. It will be great if one of my girls gets to the winner's circle, I hope that they do well in the Oaks.
Hubba hubba Mahubah! The rich dark chestnut filly knows exactly when the cameras are about and cocks her head to the rail as she canters past
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
I feel that my fillies have a good shot in the Oaks, they are powerful, fast and have a lot of heart. If either of them can manage to take and keep the lead, I will have great joy, but no matter the outcome I will be very proud of them. Who knows what will happen, they are running with some very fast horses and horses with a lot of experience.
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Rose Gate Stables - Owned by Akmu
Rose Gate is a new shooter in this year's Triple Tiara trail, having qualified with their first entrants. While they may be new on the scene, they haven't been quiet - they've been taking tips from other experienced trainers in the field and have ramped up their efforts to produce a pair of crack front running fillies that look to be dangerous here in a pace-loaded Oaks. Owner/trainer Akmu is locked and loaded this year for the Oaks with her first entrants ever in this storied race.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling, making the cut with your first entrant?
Wow, it's amazing we've come this far, it's especially shocking that it's these two fillies who made it! I never thought either of them were much of a power house but they've shut me up for sure. The girls have been amazing and I couldn't be here without these incredible girls running like the champions that they are.
These are two speedy fillies you're running this year. Can you tell us more about Chime and Beta?
Chime has already won herself a pretty prestigious race and we just hope that we can train her harder in the coming weeks. She's the hopeful winner between the stable staff and an obvious favorite of mine out of all my horses in the stable. This mare is the stable queen, she's the boss and she'll let you know it. She already has quite a reputation but we hope she'll kick rump in the coming week.
Chime blows the competition away in the slop to lead them gate to wire in an allowance at the beginning of the year
Beta is a mare we got as a foal from Centerpointe. We raised her from a yearling and she's turned into a heck of a racer, so we couldn't be more pleased! She's got a special fire in her eye that takes her the extra mile in the races. Beta is a pretty flighty horse when she's on the flat or in the barn, but once she hits the track she's as focused as they come.
Beta gallops with Chime in the background. Beta tends to be the more aggressive of the two when working and blazed four panels in 48 flat in her final pre-Oaks workout
Your fillies are both confirmed front runners in a race loaded with speed. Do you feel any qualms running them against each other, or do you think they'll both get a fair set up?
Well, I would be a fool not to acknowledge the fact that both these girls may run each other out, given their running styles. I think that Beta may in fact try to run Chime out of her stamina, as she's tried that tactic in the past, but that may also happen with the other horses, given the amount of front runners in the race. I think the field will be as fair as bloodlines and talent will allow.
Chime and Beta walk the paddock between races to get them used to the enormous crowd that will undoubtedly be there on Oaks day
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
I feel like both fillies have a decent shot! Neither of them are bad runners, they just need to find their stride when it comes to the trip they each get. Chime is probably the one we're cheering for, but we'd be happy to see either girl win. We look forward to being in a harsh competition and we welcome it.
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Shaska Stables - Owned by Haubing
Shaska is one of the oldest barns on SS but a relative newcomer to the Thoroughbred world. Though owner of crack sprinters Manu and Capricious, they've never ventured into the Triple Tiara - until this year. After buying a promising untrained 3yo filly from Hard Tack by Triple Crown winner Seabiscuit out of champion older mare Zenyatta, Shaska has become armed and dangerous. Ripping off a victory in her second start against older and more seasoned horses, Sovenance was entered into the last prep for the Oaks - and qualified. Owner/trainer Haubing could not be more pleased with how her new charge is doing.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling, making the cut with your first entrant?
I'm just feeling AMAZING. I've raced a small stable of other horses in the past, but NONE have been nearly as successful as Sovenance. She gives me the chills every time I see her run and the amount of heart she shows in every race is tremendous. I'm eternally grateful to Neco for the breeding; I've been a fan on the sidelines for so longer that I never thought I'd be able to experience what it's like to race a great horse like my baby.
It's obvious you love your filly. Can you tell us more about her?
Despite her royal bloodlines, Sovenance can be a flighty filly - spooking at even the idea of a shadow on the shedrow floor
She can actually be a ditzy girl - she's easily distracted when she's off the track and likes to watch everything around her. I've trained her on the flat around the ring, and she'll been looking at everything BUT me and stops paying attention when I ask her to trot or hold still for baths. But once she gets on the oval and we can let her go, she's a different horse; she becomes so focused and intent on her job that she's almost always fighting the rider to go faster. It's easy to get works into her since she's so eager to run, it's slowing her down at the end that's become the problem!
Sovenance is the picture of health on the track - she sizzled five furlongs in :59 and change, almost refusing to pull up on the gallop out
You mentioned you owned a few other horses and have had moderate success in sprinters before Sovenance. How are you enjoying being a Thoroughbred owner and trainer?
I've enjoyed it very much! I have a couple upper level horses, Manu and Capricious, that I bought from a friend of mine, though I did breed Manu in what seems like a lifetime ago. Fall did all of their original training and she did an awesome job with them both, so I feel like I got very lucky with some laid back, easy to work horses. They're both Grade II runners and Capricious won a race just the other day so I'm hoping that's good luck for us!
Five year old Manu accompanies an eager Sovenance to the track - he seems unimpressed with all of the attention his stablemate is getting
How are you feeling about Sovenance's chances come May?
Sovenance is full of surprises. She's been training very forwardly and has been very competitive even in her works - every time she sees another horse coming she tries to go on with them and we have to practically throttle her down every time! The competition this year is incredibly fierce and I'm hoping we can at least get a piece of it. I'm so excited for the big race!
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Sweet Secrets Stables - Owned by GallopandStorm
Sweet Secrets is one of the few non-US based Thoroughbred farms on SS and boasts some of the best horses on the forum. Last year they missed the Triple Tiara in the very last leg after their superstar Bonnie took both the Oaks and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes but couldn't get it done in the shorter Acorn. This year, a daughter of her Hall of Fame mare Bramble is making noise on the Triple Tiara trail and is looking to pick up where her stablemate left off. Owner/trainer GallopandStorm is back for more this year and looks ready to fire with her talented Ami.
GallopandStorm unfortunately was unable to connect to us for an interview, but her interim trainer Neco gave us some observations about Ami.
Congrats on Ami's qualification into the Oaks! She's coming off a strong win in her last prep - do you feel that sets her up for the Oaks?
Neco: Ami is a tough filly for sure and Gallop was thrilled to see how well she's been doing, especially with that last win. I don't really adhere to the "bounce" theory which says if a horse runs well in one race, she'll regress in her next; she's been fairly consistent her whole career and even if she can't get near the lead like she prefers, she can come from off the pace and with how well she's been training, I feel like she's sitting on a great race.
Ami wins the final Oaks prep in style, taking them gate to wire in a beautiful performance
Tell us a little bit about Ami.
Neco: Ami is a daughter of my stallion Amiguri and Gallop's superstar Bramble and she's inherited the toughness and speed of both. Bramble was such a pleasure to train when I got to handle her a few times and Ami has that same easy going personality off the track and she's willing to do anything I ask of her. She's got her sire's speed and her mother's stamina, so 9 furlongs seems to be the sweet spot for her when it comes to racing - she's won more over routing distance than a flat mile in her entire career. She's a joy to be around and probably one of the favorites I've trained of Gallop's.
We couldn't possibly hold out on Ami with a face like that! Spoiled around the barn, Ami usually gets what she wants with her puppy dog eyes
How does Ami compare to last year's Oaks winner, Bonnie, whom you also trained? Is there any comparison in your opinion?
Neco: I hate comparing horses honestly. [laughs] I always feel bad! But Ami I think is a bit more immature than Bonnie was at this time of year - Bonnie knew her job and she'd get it done no matter what, while Ami seems to be a bit more flighty in her works, though easy to handle. They both have similar running styles as they both like to be on the pace and are almost clones of each other in looks, but Bonnie was a big burly mare that tended to throw that weight around. Ami would much rather beg cookies off you than try to bully you for them. She's a nice chill girl.
Ami is full of herself in turnout behind the Churchill barns - thoroughly disproving, at least to the cameraman, that Ami is a "chill girl"
How do you feel about her chances come May?
Neco: I think she has a good shot as anyone in this race! As I said earlier, there are so many good horses in this race that I'm pretty sure it's one of the best spring Classics we've seen in the history of SS. As long as Ami can get a clean break I think she'll be in the mix early, then it's all up to her at the end of the race. She's tough but so are some of these other gals - we've got our work cut out for us in a week!
Burning Acres is a farm with a storied history on SS, with some of the oldest lines on the forum but only a recent player in the Thoroughbred industry. They bypassed the 2014 Oaks but have come back strong this year with a trio of fillies that are ready to run the rails off the track in less than a week's time. With varied running styles and almost a dozen victories between them, owner/trainer Jez is aiming for lillies as she readies her contingent for the biggest filly race of the spring.
You've qualified for your first Oaks with all three of your entries. How are you feeling right now?
Great! It's been really exciting so far.
Tell us a bit about each of your fillies.
Cloverfield is a pretty mild-mannered filly both on and off the track. She's been in the money in 12 of her 22 starts and she tries her heart out every time she runs. Royal Angel is a bit of a handful as a 16.2 bundle of nerves and muscle, and she's only just broken her maiden, leading the field from start to finish the whole way in her last start, so she's a little unpredictable. Ziva is willing enough, but I have definitely entered her in things where she was completely outmatched and not really set up for success. She runs her best anyway
Bigger doesn't always mean braver as Royal Angel throws a fit at the sight of the loading van - though she did eventually walk on after this tantrum
Ziva is the picture of patience as she waits her turn to school in the gate, giving the camera a kind eye
Your horses all have very different styles - Royal Angel loves the lead, Ziva prefers to stalk and Cloverfield is a dead closer. Do you feel like each will benefit from the others' racing styles compared to the rest of the field?
Yes, I feel having a variety of run types puts us in a good place, as opposed to entering all horses who prefer being behind as I tend to do, or who will battle one another for the best spot in the pack.
A dead closer, Cloverfield shows off a devastating turn of foot in a prior race
How do you feel about your fillies' individual chances?
I think they're reasonably good, but I'm cautiously optimistic about it. There are some incredibly talented fillies entered into this race that I think I would need a miracle to defeat.
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Hard Tack Stables - Owned by Neco
Hard Tack was one of the first Thoroughbred breeding farms established on SS and has hit the ground running in recent years. They yet have to strike in the Oaks but have several Kentucky Derby winners to their credit and were the stable to upset Bonnie's effort at the Triple Tiara last year. In 2014, there's only one filly from their barn entered in the Oaks. Owner/trainer Neco says she's that while she does have a number of talented fillies, only Chicanery displayed the precociousness needed for the Kentucky Oaks.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling?
I'm feeling fabulous! Thoroughbred racing is a huge passion of mine and I couldn't be happier to see how well it's been flourishing. I'm extremely happy with my filly's been doing, especially after a hard spring campaign and how well she's holding up against some of the best fillies I've seen in the history of the sport. I'm so excited for this year's Classics.
Chicanery walks the shedrow a day after her final workout for the Kentucky Oaks
Tell us a little about your filly Chicanery.
Chicanery is a handful - she's by Hawkstone's Sent By Ares and out of my Breeders' Cup winner Pistol Perfect and seems to have inherited some good traits from both. She loves to be on the pace like her sire and has her mother's tenacity when it comes to duking it out with other horses. She is finicky however - she can be a very all or nothing runner when her head's not in the game, and I've thrown about the idea of blinkers to maybe get her more focused. When she's good, however, she's great and has a number of close finishes in this year's preps that I'm hoping set her up for a good effort in May.
A failed experiment - Chicanery makes her distaste for blinkers perfectly clear as her handlers try to get her to the track
You played the spoiler last year for Sweet Secrets' Bonnie, who won the first legs of the Tiara. Do you see that happening again this year?
Oh gosh, I don't know, there are so many good horses entered this year I don't even have an inkling of how things are going to go! I actually felt really bad beating Bonnie last year - Gallop's a great friend of mine and I wanted so badly for her horse to win. I can pick out a number of fillies entered this year that could win any of these races and I'm right terrified of Athena Watchover - she and her sire have beaten me so many times I've lost count. I'm big fans of many of the fillies entered and whatever happens this year is gonna be bang up, I can say that for sure.
Chicanery putting in one of her last gallops before the race - with morning line favorite Athena Watchover lopes in the background
How are you feeling about Chicanery's chances come May?
I think she has a good a shot as anyone. There's so much speed in this race I feel like she may be compromised by that but depending on the post draw we could be okay. I think we can at least get into the superfecta if nothing else, and I'll be happy no matter how she places - she's quickly grown on me, quirks and all, and all I want is her to come back clean and happy.
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Hawkstone Stables - Owned by Anomaly
Hawkstone has quite the history in Thoroughbred racing on SS and has bred some of the best horses on the forum. They campaigned 2013's Preakness winner in Sent By Ares, who went on to be crowned the 2014 Horses of the Year, and the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Paris in Flames. Those two horses produced the overwhelming favorite to win this year's Oaks in Athena Watchover, and owner/trainer Anomaly has two more fillies by other impressive runners that gives her a full deck when it comes to this year's Oaks.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! You have the heavy favorite to win - how are you feeling right now?
I'm a little bit nervous, because there's a lot of pressure when you expect your horse to perform well, but I'm also very excited because Hawkstone hasn't ever had a classic-distance filly like Athena Watchover. Additionally, her last two races were not quite up to par. She didn't get the lead in either, so we've been doing a little extra gate work with her, and hopefully she won't be forced to sit behind horses again. She's come off the pace before but her best races are when she's able to get on that lead straight from the gate.
Athena was the 2yo filly champ and so far has won six of the eight qualifiers. What do you think makes her so talented?
She truly is her sire Sent By Ares, through and through. She wants to run and she wants to win, and once she's in front she's very hard to pass. That, combined with the also-exceptional talent and grit of Paris in Flames, makes her a fierce competitor. More than anything, Athena just wants to be in front and she will try her heart out every time.
After several fractious starts, Athena breaks from the training gate to sharpen her already blazing speed that saw her win 6 of the 8 filly preps
Can you tell us about Avarice and Porcelain? They seem to have been overshadowed by Athena in all of this year's pre-race coverage.
Avarice and Porcelain are both very nice fillies in their own right, and I almost feel a bit sorry that they have to compete in their stablemate's shadow. Avarice is by our stallion Animosity and out of the Hard Tack mare Royal Ransom, so she's bred to be a star and she has been reasonably competitive in the preps leading up to the Oaks. She's much more consistent than Porcelain, who tends to be a bit of an all-or-nothing kind of runner. Porcelain is a half-sister to Athena, except she's by Ares' racetrack archrival, Seattle Slew. She takes after Paris in Flames a bit more than she does her sire, preferring to sit a bit farther back before making her move. She ran a very nice third in the Ashland, and I think a repeat of that performance makes her a contender.
Avarice works in full regalia, completing five furlongs in a minute and change on an overcast day in Kentucky
Porcelain, more laid back than her half sister Athena, schools quietly in the paddock between races
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
Obviously, Athena is the most likely winner of Hawkstone's three entrants. Avarice and Porcelain would both need career-best efforts to win the Oaks, but both have shown flashes of their talent. While Porcelain is a bit more inconsistent, I think that she's the one that may benefit most from what will likely be a hot pace with the likes of Ami and the Sent by Ares filly Chicanery both being able to challenge Athena for the lead. I expect Avarice to run a solid race, as she usually does, but Porcelain is the one who I think could surprise everyone with a bang-up race just as easily as she could finish up the track.
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Honey Hoof Estates - Owned by Celestia
Honey Hoof has a long history on SS but like many of the stables participating in the Triple Tiara, they are relatively new in the Thoroughbred scene. With specific running teams called "The Wonderbolts," Honey Hoof has burst onto the scene with a bang with horses old and new. They have only one filly in this year's Oaks, but she's proven that she's just as tough as her competition. Owner/trainer Celestia is holding onto a Molotov cocktail of a horse and she's taking dead aim at those lilies this weekend.
Unfortunately, Celestia was unable to speak with us, but commentator Neco has some observations about Spitfire she'd like to share.
Neco: I bred Spitfire in conjunction with Celestia and she turned out to be a great filly. She's out of a Breeders' Cup winner by Cel's top handicapper Cigar, a horse I've always admired and a very tough stallion. She was a very rangy foal and sort of a bully - she'd boss the other foals around and had this swagger to her that you usually find in colts. Pistol Perfect, her dam, is much the same way and Spitfire looks very much like her mum; she's a fiery filly and had a tendency to grab the bit in workouts as a yearling when she was just getting started.
I've been observing her training this week up to the Oaks and it seems like she hasn't changed a bit, personality wise. She gets into that bit hard and she likes to run with her neck bowed, to try and test her rider and how much he's willing to give in to her demands. She doesn't try to dump her rider or trick them, she's kind of like a kid seeing how far she can push her parents and still learning the boundaries of what's okay and what isn't. That said, she's been training very forwardly and is up there, in my opinion, with the other fillies in this race. She's a need the lead kind of horse and with the amount of speed in this race, she's going to be tested pretty hard, but I think that's something all of these horses need at this point. I think she'll pass the test with flying colors honestly.
She's probably one of my favorite fillies my farm has produced and I can't be more thrilled that she's in the Oaks!
Spitfire prances around the paddock during her schooling session, drawing several admirers with her brazen attitude
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RKO Haven Stables - Owned by katann
RKO Haven is the grand dame of Thoroughbred racing on SS, having one of the oldest farms with some of the best bred stock on the forum. Though they have yet to strike the iron in a Triple Tiara race, every time an RKO horse is entered, people take notice; they have some of the oldest bloodlines in the forum, with storied families such as those of Fair Play and his get, and a line that has produced some of the best long distance runners in the family of their Barbaro. Owner/trainer Katann comes into the Triple Tiara with a pair of fillies that are known for their speed and their tenacity when it comes to racing.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! This is your second year running - how are you enjoying the whole experience?
I'm enjoying it very much! It's a great experience and it helps me sharpen my training practices with my horses. With my girl Annabella, I am training her to stay put once she takes the lead, but the closers seem to take her out in the end so I'm trying to work more stamina into her so she can hold on a bit longer. Mahubah just likes to stay in the 3rd place spot, I am working on her and letting her know that is is okay to stay in front, but she just wants to do what she wants to do. Horses - what can you do! [laughs] My hope for my ladies will be that they stay up with the pack and settle down enough to run a good race.
Anna is pretty as a picture as she observes the track before entering - a habit she developed early in her training as a curious yearling
You have some great fillies entered in this year's edition. Tell us a little about Muhubah and Annabella.
Mahubah is a sweet gentle mare, she loves the third place spot in the race on matter where she is in the post. She's a very strong and fast and she will give the other racers a good workout, that's for sure! Now if only I can get her to hold on to the the lead and take the win, now that will be some thing to shout about indeed. Annabella my newest racer, she is very fast and love to be the front runner, but she is still young and is building her speed. She's a daughter of my Derby entrant Otto and like her sire she has heart and is from RKO Haven's first Thoroughbreds that ran when GR came to SS. My hope for her is to just settle a bit and not burning herself out at the start of the race. Annabella will be a fine racer if she can learn that.
Mahubah is quite convinced her groom has cookies hidden in his paddocks, while Anna pricks her ears at her many admirers
Both of your girls seem to love to be on the pace - Mahubah seems to be the speedier of the two and Annabella can sit off the front runners. Do you feel that their recent efforts have set them up for a good showdown?
Yes I do! Mahubah is very willing to be up in the pack and Annabella has the speed and the heart bred in to her to be a winner. I have been working with them every day, and I will be doing training race at my track to build up more speed and staying with all my horses. It will be great if one of my girls gets to the winner's circle, I hope that they do well in the Oaks.
Hubba hubba Mahubah! The rich dark chestnut filly knows exactly when the cameras are about and cocks her head to the rail as she canters past
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
I feel that my fillies have a good shot in the Oaks, they are powerful, fast and have a lot of heart. If either of them can manage to take and keep the lead, I will have great joy, but no matter the outcome I will be very proud of them. Who knows what will happen, they are running with some very fast horses and horses with a lot of experience.
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Rose Gate Stables - Owned by Akmu
Rose Gate is a new shooter in this year's Triple Tiara trail, having qualified with their first entrants. While they may be new on the scene, they haven't been quiet - they've been taking tips from other experienced trainers in the field and have ramped up their efforts to produce a pair of crack front running fillies that look to be dangerous here in a pace-loaded Oaks. Owner/trainer Akmu is locked and loaded this year for the Oaks with her first entrants ever in this storied race.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling, making the cut with your first entrant?
Wow, it's amazing we've come this far, it's especially shocking that it's these two fillies who made it! I never thought either of them were much of a power house but they've shut me up for sure. The girls have been amazing and I couldn't be here without these incredible girls running like the champions that they are.
These are two speedy fillies you're running this year. Can you tell us more about Chime and Beta?
Chime has already won herself a pretty prestigious race and we just hope that we can train her harder in the coming weeks. She's the hopeful winner between the stable staff and an obvious favorite of mine out of all my horses in the stable. This mare is the stable queen, she's the boss and she'll let you know it. She already has quite a reputation but we hope she'll kick rump in the coming week.
Chime blows the competition away in the slop to lead them gate to wire in an allowance at the beginning of the year
Beta is a mare we got as a foal from Centerpointe. We raised her from a yearling and she's turned into a heck of a racer, so we couldn't be more pleased! She's got a special fire in her eye that takes her the extra mile in the races. Beta is a pretty flighty horse when she's on the flat or in the barn, but once she hits the track she's as focused as they come.
Beta gallops with Chime in the background. Beta tends to be the more aggressive of the two when working and blazed four panels in 48 flat in her final pre-Oaks workout
Your fillies are both confirmed front runners in a race loaded with speed. Do you feel any qualms running them against each other, or do you think they'll both get a fair set up?
Well, I would be a fool not to acknowledge the fact that both these girls may run each other out, given their running styles. I think that Beta may in fact try to run Chime out of her stamina, as she's tried that tactic in the past, but that may also happen with the other horses, given the amount of front runners in the race. I think the field will be as fair as bloodlines and talent will allow.
Chime and Beta walk the paddock between races to get them used to the enormous crowd that will undoubtedly be there on Oaks day
How do you feel about your fillies' chances come May?
I feel like both fillies have a decent shot! Neither of them are bad runners, they just need to find their stride when it comes to the trip they each get. Chime is probably the one we're cheering for, but we'd be happy to see either girl win. We look forward to being in a harsh competition and we welcome it.
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Shaska Stables - Owned by Haubing
Shaska is one of the oldest barns on SS but a relative newcomer to the Thoroughbred world. Though owner of crack sprinters Manu and Capricious, they've never ventured into the Triple Tiara - until this year. After buying a promising untrained 3yo filly from Hard Tack by Triple Crown winner Seabiscuit out of champion older mare Zenyatta, Shaska has become armed and dangerous. Ripping off a victory in her second start against older and more seasoned horses, Sovenance was entered into the last prep for the Oaks - and qualified. Owner/trainer Haubing could not be more pleased with how her new charge is doing.
Congrats on qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks! How are you feeling, making the cut with your first entrant?
I'm just feeling AMAZING. I've raced a small stable of other horses in the past, but NONE have been nearly as successful as Sovenance. She gives me the chills every time I see her run and the amount of heart she shows in every race is tremendous. I'm eternally grateful to Neco for the breeding; I've been a fan on the sidelines for so longer that I never thought I'd be able to experience what it's like to race a great horse like my baby.
It's obvious you love your filly. Can you tell us more about her?
Despite her royal bloodlines, Sovenance can be a flighty filly - spooking at even the idea of a shadow on the shedrow floor
She can actually be a ditzy girl - she's easily distracted when she's off the track and likes to watch everything around her. I've trained her on the flat around the ring, and she'll been looking at everything BUT me and stops paying attention when I ask her to trot or hold still for baths. But once she gets on the oval and we can let her go, she's a different horse; she becomes so focused and intent on her job that she's almost always fighting the rider to go faster. It's easy to get works into her since she's so eager to run, it's slowing her down at the end that's become the problem!
Sovenance is the picture of health on the track - she sizzled five furlongs in :59 and change, almost refusing to pull up on the gallop out
You mentioned you owned a few other horses and have had moderate success in sprinters before Sovenance. How are you enjoying being a Thoroughbred owner and trainer?
I've enjoyed it very much! I have a couple upper level horses, Manu and Capricious, that I bought from a friend of mine, though I did breed Manu in what seems like a lifetime ago. Fall did all of their original training and she did an awesome job with them both, so I feel like I got very lucky with some laid back, easy to work horses. They're both Grade II runners and Capricious won a race just the other day so I'm hoping that's good luck for us!
Five year old Manu accompanies an eager Sovenance to the track - he seems unimpressed with all of the attention his stablemate is getting
How are you feeling about Sovenance's chances come May?
Sovenance is full of surprises. She's been training very forwardly and has been very competitive even in her works - every time she sees another horse coming she tries to go on with them and we have to practically throttle her down every time! The competition this year is incredibly fierce and I'm hoping we can at least get a piece of it. I'm so excited for the big race!
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Sweet Secrets Stables - Owned by GallopandStorm
Sweet Secrets is one of the few non-US based Thoroughbred farms on SS and boasts some of the best horses on the forum. Last year they missed the Triple Tiara in the very last leg after their superstar Bonnie took both the Oaks and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes but couldn't get it done in the shorter Acorn. This year, a daughter of her Hall of Fame mare Bramble is making noise on the Triple Tiara trail and is looking to pick up where her stablemate left off. Owner/trainer GallopandStorm is back for more this year and looks ready to fire with her talented Ami.
GallopandStorm unfortunately was unable to connect to us for an interview, but her interim trainer Neco gave us some observations about Ami.
Congrats on Ami's qualification into the Oaks! She's coming off a strong win in her last prep - do you feel that sets her up for the Oaks?
Neco: Ami is a tough filly for sure and Gallop was thrilled to see how well she's been doing, especially with that last win. I don't really adhere to the "bounce" theory which says if a horse runs well in one race, she'll regress in her next; she's been fairly consistent her whole career and even if she can't get near the lead like she prefers, she can come from off the pace and with how well she's been training, I feel like she's sitting on a great race.
Ami wins the final Oaks prep in style, taking them gate to wire in a beautiful performance
Tell us a little bit about Ami.
Neco: Ami is a daughter of my stallion Amiguri and Gallop's superstar Bramble and she's inherited the toughness and speed of both. Bramble was such a pleasure to train when I got to handle her a few times and Ami has that same easy going personality off the track and she's willing to do anything I ask of her. She's got her sire's speed and her mother's stamina, so 9 furlongs seems to be the sweet spot for her when it comes to racing - she's won more over routing distance than a flat mile in her entire career. She's a joy to be around and probably one of the favorites I've trained of Gallop's.
We couldn't possibly hold out on Ami with a face like that! Spoiled around the barn, Ami usually gets what she wants with her puppy dog eyes
How does Ami compare to last year's Oaks winner, Bonnie, whom you also trained? Is there any comparison in your opinion?
Neco: I hate comparing horses honestly. [laughs] I always feel bad! But Ami I think is a bit more immature than Bonnie was at this time of year - Bonnie knew her job and she'd get it done no matter what, while Ami seems to be a bit more flighty in her works, though easy to handle. They both have similar running styles as they both like to be on the pace and are almost clones of each other in looks, but Bonnie was a big burly mare that tended to throw that weight around. Ami would much rather beg cookies off you than try to bully you for them. She's a nice chill girl.
Ami is full of herself in turnout behind the Churchill barns - thoroughly disproving, at least to the cameraman, that Ami is a "chill girl"
How do you feel about her chances come May?
Neco: I think she has a good shot as anyone in this race! As I said earlier, there are so many good horses in this race that I'm pretty sure it's one of the best spring Classics we've seen in the history of SS. As long as Ami can get a clean break I think she'll be in the mix early, then it's all up to her at the end of the race. She's tough but so are some of these other gals - we've got our work cut out for us in a week!