The GP Oaks – GII [KYO]
GP Race 8 1M – Dirt
Purse $250.000
Three Year Olds Fillies
And here we are going to take a look at the field for this years running of the grade two Gulfstream Park Oaks which is the last prep race for the Kentucky Oaks here at Gulfstream. It is a pretty competitive field and most of these have a shot in my opinion so let’s take a look at the field.
1. Southern Two Step (7-5-0-0 $267.940), trained by The Sidley Stud
Now here we have a grade one winning filly who is also just a total win machine with only two career losses. She won the grade one Starlet last year by a nose. Her last race was a bad performance in the Busher at Aqueduct but I think she just didn’t perform that day and she will be better in here.
2. Stormy Embrace (3-1-1-0 $42.610), trained by Mb Stables
The first of two entries from Mb Stables right here wasn’t even supposed to be in this race but she ended up coming here after being scratched out of the Fair Grounds Oaks. She comes into here off of a win against statebred maiden special weight company so this is a big step up in class for sure.
3. Steady Sneaks (8-1-2-4 $114.300), trained by Smokey Stover
Now onto this filly who is coming into this race off of two third place finishes in other Kentucky Oaks points races. She ran third in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa and she just ran third in the Bourbonette Oaks. I think she has a live chance if she can just improve a little bit off of those last two.
4. Watch Your Money (7-2-1-2 $44.680), trained by Nakamura Stables
Well I’m not going to lie here is one that I just cannot really make a case for. She hasn’t been able to prove that she is good enough for a race like this or even if she can get the distance. I just don’t see her having much of a chance and if she wins it will be a huge shocker to me.
5. First Impression (9-4-1-0 $180.640), trained by Mb Stables
And the second of the two runners from Mb Stables is this filly right here who is coming into this race off of a win against allowance optional claiming company here ag Gulfstream. She is a good filly for sure but I don’t know how she will handle the distance so I have to be cautiously with picking her.
6. Love Struck Baby (8-4-0-1 $476.400), trained by D J C Racing Stables
Now I remember early on in the two year old races last year I thought that might be the two year old filly champ. Well she didn’t run so hot in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies and since then it hasn’t been very good. If she can return to her early two year old form she could win this race but it’s a question of if she does.
7. Lamesa (6-1-1-0 $34.650), trained by Crocker Ggs
A recent maiden winner in a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds right here but she only beat a four horse field and it was on the mud. I just don’t really see this one winning either and I think that she is just outmatched in here. If she wins it will be a big surprise to me.
8. More Sport (6-2-1-2 $173.900), trained by Aml Racing
Now this filly here looks pretty intriguing to me because she is coming out of the grade two Alexandra which was a very strong race. The work tab is nice also and she fits pretty good with this field for sure. I could definitely see her winning but she will need to run a big race.
9. Hollywood Short (7-1-0-2 $70.560), trained by Estero Farms
Well this filly right here is the only one coming out of the prep race that was before this one here at Gulfstream when she ran fifth in the grade two Davona Dale. She got beat two lengths that day and I think that wasn’t her best performance. I could see her winning but she will need to run huge.
10. Techno Cheryl (9-4-0-0 $182.620), trained by The Sidley Stud
Well the absolute inside post and the absolute outside post for The Sidley Studs two runners and this filly has a lot of work cut out for her. She is a graded stakes winner but that was on the mud so she needs to show she can do it on a fast track. A lot going against this one but she is not a toss out.
Summary
Now I do think that this isn’t necessarily the toughest prep race I’ve seen but isn’t a field full of bums either. I mean there is some good fillies in here and I definitely think that whoever wins will deserve a shot at Churchill. It is a nice competitive field so the winner will have to run huge.
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Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
