Five Ontario-Breds Nominated To Kentucky Oaks

On Friday, the list of nominees for the 137th running of the Grade I $1 million Kentucky Oaks, which will be run at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 6th, was released. While the list of nominees was headlined by top contenders in the United States, five Ontario-breds were included in the list of 117 three-year-old fillies. Grand Style, Inglorious, Joyful Victory, Pass Partout and Roxy Gap will all now begin their quest towards the Kentucky Oaks.

Grand Style is a dark brown filly by Giant's Causeway out of Dancethruthestorm, who sold for $250,000 in the 2009 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Yearling Sale. Trained by Michael Doyle and owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., Grand Style broke her maiden in her fourth start in the $247,035 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on October 30th, at Woodbine.

Inglorious is bay filly by Hennessy out of Noble Strike, who sold for $90,000 CDN in the 2009 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale. Trained by Josie Carroll and owned by Donver Stables, Inglorious broke her maiden in her racing debut in the $146,039 Fanfreluche Stakes on October 24th, and followed that up with a victory in the $151,101 Ontario Lassie Stakes on December 4th. Earlier this year, she took on top contender Kathmanblu in the Grade III $147,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Fair Grounds and impressed a lot of people, finishing second. She's arguably the top Ontario three-year-old filly at the moment.

Joyful Victory is a gray or roan filly by Tapit out of Wild Lucy Black, who most recently sold for $400,000 in the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Floria Select Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale. Joyful Victory has been racing mostly in the United States for trainer Anthony Dutrow Jr. and owner Fox Hill Farms Inc. She raced in a stakes race in New York and even made an appearance in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, finishing fifth behind Awesome Feather. Joyful Victory broke her maiden in her debut at Delaware Park on September 11th in a Maiden Special Weight Race.

Pass Partout is a bay filly by Tiznow out of Gumboots, bred and owned by Eaton Hall Farm. Pass Partout is also trained by Michael Doyle and according to her profile page on Horse Racing Nation, Pass Partout has two races under her belt, and although she has not won either of those starts, she did finish in the money in both races. Her most recent race was a third place finish on July 18th in the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes, which was won by the next horse on our list, Roxy Gap.

Roxy Gap is a bay filly by Indian Charlie out of Harts Gap, bred by Eugene Melnyk and owned by Melnyk Racing Stables. Roxy Gap is trained by Mark Casse and won all three starts she made at Woodbine in 2010. Roxy Gap broke her maiden in her debut, a Maiden Special Weight race on July 3rd and followed that performance up with her first stakes victory on July 18th in the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes. Roxy Gap also made a start at Gulfstream earlier this year in the Grade III $100,000 Old Hat Stakes on January 5th, but finished third.

The main United States contenders include Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Champion Awesome Feather, Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes winner Kathmanblu, Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Runner Up and recent Grade II Davona Dale Stakes winner R Heat Lightning, Grade I Las Virgenes winner Zazu and Grade I Hollywood Starlet winner Turbulent Descent.

The Ontario-bred fillies will be in tough against this group, should any of them make it to the Kentucky Oaks, but I think Inglorious is the Ontario-bred with the best shot to make some noise. Inglorious has already faced the division's top horse, Kathmanblu, finishing a strong second and has seemed to get better in every race. It will be a great lead-up to the Kentucky Oaks and I'm looking forward to following the progress of the Ontario-bred fillies.

Posted in: US Tracks,Woodbine