[Kasept]

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE

Winngate Stables’ Kathleen O., the leading point earner on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, arrived at Churchill Downs from Keeneland Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning galloped an easy mile under exercise rider David Jego.



COCKTAIL MOMENTS – Dixiana Farms’ Cocktail Moments galloped a mile and a half during the special Kentucky Derby and Oaks training window from 7:30-7:45 a.m.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Cocktail Moments is scheduled for her final pre-Oaks work on Friday.



GODDESS OF FIRE, NEST, SHAHAMA – The Todd Pletcher-trained trio of Kentucky Oaks hopefuls all galloped 1 3/8 miles over a fast track on a brisk Tuesday morning.

Coming out at 7:30 were Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s Nest with Nora McCormack aboard and KHK Racing’s Shahama with Humberto Zamora in the saddle. Red Oak Stable’s Goddess of Fire was on the track a half-hour later with Zamora aboard.



HIDDEN CONNECTION – Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds’ Hidden Connection galloped about 1 ½ miles early Tuesday morning. She’s slated to work once more prior to the Oaks with jockey Reylu Gutierrez in the saddle.



KATHLEEN O. – Winngate Stables’ undefeated Kathleen O., the leading point earner on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks by virtue of her victories in the Davona Dale (GII) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII), got her first feel of the Churchill Downs racing strip Tuesday morning by galloping an easy mile under exercise rider David Jego.

Kathleen O. arrived at Churchill Downs Monday afternoon after spending a couple of weeks at Keeneland where she had two works. Trainer Shug McGaughey is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Wednesday afternoon.



NOSTALGIC – Godolphin’s Nostalgic had a 1 3/8-mile gallop Tuesday morning with veteran exercise rider Penny Gardiner in the saddle.

“She got to Kentucky and seems to be thriving,” trainer Bill Mott said. “We’re happy with her preparation from New York and it’s translating here at Churchill.”



SECRET OATH – Briland Farm’s top Longines Kentucky Oaks contender Secret Oath had a walk day after her six-furlong move in 1:13 early Monday morning.



TURNERLOOSE – Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Turnerloose appeared on the Churchill Downs track around 8 a.m. Tuesday for a 1 ½-mile gallop under regular exercise rider Edvin Vargas.

Trainer Brad Cox has not finalized her jockey for the Kentucky Oaks.



SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Here’s the Top 14 horses on the leaderboard for the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) (with jockey and trainer): Kathleen O. (Javier Castellano, Shug McGaughey); Echo Zulu (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Nest (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Yuugiri (Florent Geroux, Rodolphe Brisset); Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli, Phil D’Amato); Nostalgic (Jose Ortiz, Bill Mott); Venti Valentine (Tyler Gaffalione, Jorge Abreu); Secret Oath (Luis Saez, Wayne Lukas); Goddess of Fire (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher); Turnerloose (TBA, Brad Cox); Hidden Connection (Reylu Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun); Cocktail Moments (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek); Candy Raid (Rafael Bejarano, Keith Desormeaux); Shahama (Flavien Prat, Todd Pletcher).