Last month, it looked as if the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-I) was setting up as a duel between undefeated and unchallenged juvenile filly champion Songbird and undefeated and unchallenged rising rival Cathryn Sophia. No more. While Songbird is still heavily favored to extend her unbeaten skein in the Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) later today, Cathryn Sophia dropped out of the unbeaten ranks with a hard-fought third behind 30-1 longshot Weep No More and 2015 Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rachel's Valentina in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (USA-G1).
Neither Cathryn Sophia nor Rachel's Valentina were at all disgraced in defeat, as the total margin between the first three placers was two necks. Make no mistake about it, though--Weep No More is a legitimate filly with a blistering turn of foot. 12-1/2 lengths back at the 6-furlong mark, she made up nearly seven lengths of that in the final sixteenth of a mile. kicking in with a suddenness that startled the eye. She ran the final 5/16 of a mile in close to :30 flat and her final sixteenth in under 6 seconds, a better closing kick than any of the colts have shown so far this year. If this filly doesn't go on to the Kentucky Oaks, it will be because something's wrong with her, not because she doesn't belong there.
Weep No More is a worthy Oaks candidate on pedigree as well as performance. A granddaughter of 2001 Oaks heroine Flute, she is a daughter of 2003 American Horse of the Year Mineshaft and is yet another star resulting from the crossing of the A.P. Indy male line over mares sired by Storm Cat and his sons. In Weep No More's case, Storm Cat himself is her maternal grandsire and is doubtless a source for some of the brilliant speed Weep No More showed after she kicked in.
As for Cathryn Sophia and Rachel's Valentina, both are still likely to contest the Kentucky Oaks, even though a little of the luster is now off the race except as a showcase for Songbird to strut her stuff. Still, Weep No More's victory is a reminder of why we run horse races---because sometimes a sure thing isn't, and sometimes a new star is just waiting to emerge.
Neither Cathryn Sophia nor Rachel's Valentina were at all disgraced in defeat, as the total margin between the first three placers was two necks. Make no mistake about it, though--Weep No More is a legitimate filly with a blistering turn of foot. 12-1/2 lengths back at the 6-furlong mark, she made up nearly seven lengths of that in the final sixteenth of a mile. kicking in with a suddenness that startled the eye. She ran the final 5/16 of a mile in close to :30 flat and her final sixteenth in under 6 seconds, a better closing kick than any of the colts have shown so far this year. If this filly doesn't go on to the Kentucky Oaks, it will be because something's wrong with her, not because she doesn't belong there.
Weep No More is a worthy Oaks candidate on pedigree as well as performance. A granddaughter of 2001 Oaks heroine Flute, she is a daughter of 2003 American Horse of the Year Mineshaft and is yet another star resulting from the crossing of the A.P. Indy male line over mares sired by Storm Cat and his sons. In Weep No More's case, Storm Cat himself is her maternal grandsire and is doubtless a source for some of the brilliant speed Weep No More showed after she kicked in.
As for Cathryn Sophia and Rachel's Valentina, both are still likely to contest the Kentucky Oaks, even though a little of the luster is now off the race except as a showcase for Songbird to strut her stuff. Still, Weep No More's victory is a reminder of why we run horse races---because sometimes a sure thing isn't, and sometimes a new star is just waiting to emerge.
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