Untappable
$100.000 Two Year Old Fillies
1 Mile & 70 Yards – Dirt
Fairgrounds – 12/20/25
When a $100.000 purse draws an overload field of thirteen you know something else must be on offer. I’m no conspiracy theorist (I actually am!) but I am guessing it very well could be those coveted Kentucky Oaks qualifying points that are up for grabs this coming Saturday. The Untappable is the tenth and final race for two-year-old fillies that have shown a degree of precociousness to put some points in the bank heading into their three-year-old campaigns.
1. Perfect Thinking (Mb Stables/T. Gaffalione) Broke her maiden in her last start which was her sixth start of the year. It might have been only her first win, but she has never finished off the board, and she has never lost by more than 3/4 of a length. Her first win was also the first time her trainer stretched her out over a route of ground. She has shown speed in all of her races and there is no reason to think she will not be able to place herself in a perfect stalking position from her rail draw.
2. Pointed Out (D J C Racing Stables/B. Curtis) She currently sits in twenty first position in qualifying for the Oaks with three points. Her points were gained via her third-place finish in the Pocahontas at Churchill Downs in September. Her trainer has brought her back twice since and you have to almost throw out both of those efforts – a fast closing eighth in the G1 Alcibides from gate 11 in a crowded field and another closing effort in a minor sprint stake which was run on a muddy track. With almost no chance of rain on Saturday and a good post-position draw this time she can reset and regain her Pocahontas form.
3. Maui Hawaii (Choppy Inc./E. Maldonado) She has won three races out of her five attempts. She had a three-race win streak going into her last race, which was her stakes debut, a WV state bred stakes at Charles Town. She showed good speed that day but gave way late finishing fifth only losing by a length. Her trainer was not discouraged as she shows up here taking another step up in class. She doesn’t have the stakes level success of some others in the field, but she is a proven winner, and she has already won at a route.
4. Call Me First (Crocker Ggs/P. Husbands) She is seeking to add to her current KY Oaks qualifying bankroll of 2 points which has her tied in twenty fifth place. She earned those points in her last race, the Rags to Riches in late October where she was a fast closing fourth. She likes to come from off the pace, and she has proven that she is capable of winning at a longer distance so she is one of the top contenders especially if she can get a fast pace to run into.
5. Extra Red (The Sidley Stud/A. Concepcion) Debuted in October and then broke her maiden mid-November in her second start. She is being asked to tackle several firsts in this quick escalation up the progression ladder. First route, first start against winners and first stakes entry. This is a big acid test, but the trainer is having an outstanding season and definitely knows their way around talented fillies. A good mile work seems to indicate the distance should not be an issue.
6. Miss Perfect Devil (La Canada Racehorses/Ar. Bocachica) Made her first two starts on the dirt but followed that up with five straight starts on the grass where she found success in several stakes and qualified for the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint last month. She showed speed and led briefly in that marquee event before ultimately finishing sixth. She moves back to the dirt and is also being asked to stretch out for the first time but she is graded stakes placed and has been competitive against top competition all season. Encouraging to her backers is that her early dirt efforts were good at high level tracks.
7. Midnight Hurricane (Aer Stables/J. Alvarado) Bought for $233.000 at auction in June as an unraced two-year-old who had not yet put up a public work. Obviously, there are high expectations for this filly. Since the sale she has made two starts. She showed speed and faded in her debut but then came back in mid-October to win a MSW at Aqueduct by a determined head. She is another being asked several first-time questions in this race: first against winners, first stakes, first route. She has a fast mile work in company since that maiden win, but she is hard to gauge off of limited form.
8. West Coast Girls (Diablo Diablo/I. Ortiz Jr.) Like the rival directly to her inside she is making only her third lifetime start. She closed well for third in her sprint debut but then won a CA bred MSW at Del Mar when stretched out to a mile in mid-November. Comes into this race off of a good mile work and it would not be a shock to see her in the winner’s circle.
9. Starlit Venture (Acber Farms/D.E. Centeno) 19th 3 pts She is currently in nineteenth place in the Oaks qualifying race with three points earned from her third-place finish in the G1 Alcibiades at Keeneland. That qualified her to run in the BC Juvenile Fillies where she finished a disappointing tenth although she was making up some ground late in a big field. Drew post nine in the BC and draws post nine again. This is definitely a softer spot to try to overcome that, but the turn comes up very quickly at this distance at the Fairgrounds which gives her trainer a strategic challenge.
10. Hi Sara (Paradise Stable/M.E. Smith) She won a NY Bred MSW at Aqueduct in her second start and then jumped into a NY Bred stakes race going a mile where she ran midpack the entire race. Her trainer gives her another distance test going even longer this time but has to be discouraged that she draws a wide post once again. Her mile works are good enough to think she is capable of handling the longer races but will need some luck.
11. Natural Performance (Williams9/M. Mendez) Made it to the winner’s circle in her last race, her fourth lifetime start. She immediately jumps up into stakes company looking to get on the Oaks trail which is a big ask. Her one route start was her worst effort, but her trainer gives her another shot going longer so it might have just been an off day or a case of her not liking that particular track. Willing to give her a chance but drawing post 11 running right into the turn does not help her cause.
12. Lucky Delite (The Sidley Stud/M. Franco) Her two wins were by open daylight, but they were in lower-level races, so she needed to be class tested. Her trainer provided that in three straight stakes races and she has finished close seconds in the last two. She just missed winning The Fern Creek at Churchill Downs by a nose in her last race. She can go short and she can go long. She is also a speedy girl who gives her trainer tactical options from the outside post that I don’t see with some others. She maintains the Lasix/Bute combination from her last start which was her best. Threat.
AE: Chickadee Amadee (Nakamura Stables/TBD) Has won three of her six starts but did not hit the board in her three stakes tries. Seems unfair that a three-time winner could not make the main field but her earnings per start leaves her on the outside looking in so far. Her two early wins were on off tracks and there is no real prospect of rain for race day.
Perfect Thinking on the rail with tactical speed and the top trainer has to be my pick in this one. She has never been off the board and has a good chance of taking the next step into stakes territory. Miss Perfect Devil has proven class and has a good draw. Dirt should not be an obstacle for her to be right in the mix. I think Lucky Delite from the far outside is talented enough to be competitive despite starting from post 12. It might be too much to overcome for a win, but I think she can make her presence felt. I am also looking for West Coast Girls to give a big effort in her stakes debut.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded