The three-year old colts aren’t the only horses that you should be watching during this time of the year. Kentucky Oaks prep races have been taking place alongside the Kentucky Derby preps and there have been many good looking fillies competing in them. Some have even said that they are more impressed with the three-year old fillies than they are with the colts.
Here are five fillies that you should be watching as we lead up to the Kentucky Oaks on the First Friday in May!
1. Taraz (Into Mischief - Silk Route, Empire Maker) Taraz wowed the crowd at Oaklawn Park when she took the Martha Washington Stakes on February 1st. This Brad Cox trainee is undefeated in three lifetime starts. The Martha Washington Stakes was the filly’s second stakes victory! There were murmurs that this monstrous girl could face the colts in a Kentucky Derby prep, but her owners at Juddmonte Farms want to keep running Taraz against other fillies. She is slated to make her next start in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) on March 7th!
[Video: Watch Taraz win the Martha Washington Stakes]
2. Venetian Harbor (Munnings - Sounds of the City, Street Cry) Venetian Harbor has been making waves out in the California horse racing scene. This gorgeous daughter of Munnings first gained recognition when she broke her maiden with incredible ease at Santa Anita. She proved herself no fluke in her next start, the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2), with a 9 ¼ length romp. Not much has been said about which race this Richard Baltas trainee will target next. Nevertheless, she has a slot on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard and will likely continue down that path.
[Video: Watch Venetian Harbor win the Las Virgenes Stakes]
3. Lucrezia (Into Mischief - Verdana Bold, Rahy) Lucrezia is yet another horse sired by Into Mischief with their name in the headlines. She absolutely dominated the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 8th and earned herself 10 points on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard in the process. That victory was her second in a row, both coming in stakes company at Tampa Bay Downs. Like Venetian Harbor, not much has been said about where this Arnaud Delacour trainee will make her next start. Regardless, these are exciting times for her owners and breeders Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson! If you like Into Mischief fillies, she is one you need to keep your eye on!
[Video: Watch Lucrezia win the Suncoast Stakes]
4 .Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah - Gloria S, Tapit)
If you love American Pharoah, you’ll love this daughter of his out of Gloria S. Harvey’s Lil Goil drew attention to herself when she broke her maiden by 6 ½ lengths in December. An awkward start in her next race, the Busanda Stakes, didn’t stop her from putting in another dominant performance. She bested the field by 7 ½ lengths! This gorgeous grey is trained by Bill Mott. Her dam, Gloria S., is a half-sister Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner I’ll Have Another and 2x Grade 3 winner Golden Award. She was bred by Harvey A. Clarke, who co-owns her with Paul Braverman.
[Video: Watch Harvey's Lil Goil win the Busanda Stakes]
5. Tonalist’s Shape (Tonalist - HiTechNoWeenie, Harlan’s Holiday) Tonalist’s Shape became her sires first stakes winner when she won the Hut Hut Stakes at Gulfstream Park in November of 2019. She followed that up by becoming his first graded stakes winner in the Forward Gal Stakes (G3), earning herself points on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard at the same time. This Saffie A. Joseph Jr. trainee is undefeated in four lifetime starts, all of which came in Florida. The Davona Dale Stakes (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) are both potential races in this pretty filly’s future.
[Video: Watch Tonalist's Shape win the Forward Gal Stakes]
The horse racing world is really starting to heat up as the Oaks and Derby draw closer. Only time will tell if any of these five fillies will be our 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner!
About Champions of the Track: Champions of the Track is dedicated to growing the popularity of horse racing by sharing photos, videos, and stories of this wonderful sport. We aim for our content to reach new fans and kindle the love of the sport in current fans. Thank you for taking a moment to read this post. We appreciate it!
Connect with Champions of the Track:
Like on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Instagram
Subscribe on YouTube
Comments