With four days remaining before the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1), two fillies that have not yet been covered in this blog appear likely to go off at odds of less than 10-1. Both have legitimate chances and legitimate question marks.
Explora may have the most raw talent of any filly in the field, but her ability to deliver it may be in question. This daughter of 2010 American champion older male and reliable Claiborne stallion Blame has not raced since March 1, having gone down with an illness prior to a planned start in the Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2). Her final work for the Oaks was a nice move, though, breezing five furlongs in :58.80 on 4/26 at Churchill Downs (third best of 23 works at the distance). Up to now, Explora has been as consistent as anyone could ask, with four wins and three seconds from her seven lifetime starts, and the runner-up in her Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3) win, Counting Stars, franked the form next out by winning the Fantasy impressively. Second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) last fall, Explora also has experience with a big field and with keeping her mind on business despite the distractions of a large crowd, intangibles that may stand her in good stead on Oaks Day.
Having Blame as the sire is generally the mark of a filly that is likely to move forward as she matures, and there is a bit of Oaks history tied up in Explora’s female line as her fifth dam, White Star Line, won the Kentucky Oaks in 1978. Sent to Europe after producing five foals in the United States (including stakes winner Native Wizard, by In Reality), White Star Line produced 10 more foals, among them 1990 Prix de Pomone (FR-G2) winner Whitehaven (by Top Ville) and multiple Group-placed White Star (by Darshaan). She also produced the winner Hill of Snow (by multiple champion Reference Point, whose wins included the Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes—both Group 1 races that are part of England’s Triple Crown series).
Hill of Snow proved quite a good broodmare, her three stakes winners including 1999 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Preseli (by Caerleon). Hill of Snow’s stakes-placed daughter Snowfire (by Machiavellian) was not too far off that level of ability, running second in the 2002 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1), and from just three foals, she produced multiple Grade 1-placed stakes winner Model (by Giant’s Causeway). Model, in turn, produced the winner Collections Choice (by Bernardini), who produced Explora as her fifth foal after throwing three other winners from her first four foals of racing age. This is a deep, strong pedigree laced through and through with quality, and if she runs to her bloodlines and the talent she has already shown, Explora should have a strong chance of earning the lilies.
Prom Queen is much less seasoned than Explora, but she stamped herself as a legitimate contender for the Kentucky Oaks with a solid win in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (USA-G2) that didn’t look as if it reached the bottom of her gas tank. Davona Dale Stakes (USA-G2) winner She Be Smooth (who had beaten Prom Queen into second in that race) was back in third, and Prom Queen’s final pre-Oaks move on 4/24 was five furlongs in :59.80, good enough for fourth of 17 timed works at the distance over the Churchill Downs strip. She has improved substantially with every start thus far; however, she will be making only her fourth lifetime start in the Kentucky Oaks, and how she will react to the huge crowd and a much larger field than any she has faced so far will be anyone’s guess.
Prom Queen is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Quality Road, a stallion who is no stranger to the Classic scene as the sire of 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner and American 3-year-old champion filly Abel Tasman and of 2023 Preakness Stakes winner (USA-G1) and 2024 American champion older dirt male National Treasure. Through her dam, Miss Bling Bling, Prom Queen is a maternal granddaughter of three-time American champion sire Tapit, whose credits include four Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winners. Stamina should not be an issue here, especially seeing that Miss Bling Bling is a full sister to 2017 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (USA-G2) winner Actress.
Prom Queen is the second foal of Miss Bling Bling, whose dam, Milwaukee Appeal, was Canada’s champion 3-year-old filly in 2009 after winning the Woodbine Oaks and running second in the Alabama Stakes (USA-G1), the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1), and the Prince of Wales Stakes (the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown). Milwaukee Appeal’s sire, the Wild Again horse Milwaukee Brew, won two editions of the Santa Anita Handicap (USA-G1), so again, there seems no reason to question that Prom Queen will stay as far as she needs to.
My pick? I confess to having a soft spot for Counting Stars, who really caught my eye with her Fantasy win. However, I am no handicapper and won't have anything but a little pride riding on the result, so take that for what it's worth. Whoever wins, the Kentucky Oaks should be an excellent race. Here’s wishing all the contestants and their jockeys a safe trip, and may the best filly wear the lilies!
Explora may have the most raw talent of any filly in the field, but her ability to deliver it may be in question. This daughter of 2010 American champion older male and reliable Claiborne stallion Blame has not raced since March 1, having gone down with an illness prior to a planned start in the Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2). Her final work for the Oaks was a nice move, though, breezing five furlongs in :58.80 on 4/26 at Churchill Downs (third best of 23 works at the distance). Up to now, Explora has been as consistent as anyone could ask, with four wins and three seconds from her seven lifetime starts, and the runner-up in her Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3) win, Counting Stars, franked the form next out by winning the Fantasy impressively. Second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) last fall, Explora also has experience with a big field and with keeping her mind on business despite the distractions of a large crowd, intangibles that may stand her in good stead on Oaks Day.
Having Blame as the sire is generally the mark of a filly that is likely to move forward as she matures, and there is a bit of Oaks history tied up in Explora’s female line as her fifth dam, White Star Line, won the Kentucky Oaks in 1978. Sent to Europe after producing five foals in the United States (including stakes winner Native Wizard, by In Reality), White Star Line produced 10 more foals, among them 1990 Prix de Pomone (FR-G2) winner Whitehaven (by Top Ville) and multiple Group-placed White Star (by Darshaan). She also produced the winner Hill of Snow (by multiple champion Reference Point, whose wins included the Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes—both Group 1 races that are part of England’s Triple Crown series).
Hill of Snow proved quite a good broodmare, her three stakes winners including 1999 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Preseli (by Caerleon). Hill of Snow’s stakes-placed daughter Snowfire (by Machiavellian) was not too far off that level of ability, running second in the 2002 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1), and from just three foals, she produced multiple Grade 1-placed stakes winner Model (by Giant’s Causeway). Model, in turn, produced the winner Collections Choice (by Bernardini), who produced Explora as her fifth foal after throwing three other winners from her first four foals of racing age. This is a deep, strong pedigree laced through and through with quality, and if she runs to her bloodlines and the talent she has already shown, Explora should have a strong chance of earning the lilies.
Prom Queen is much less seasoned than Explora, but she stamped herself as a legitimate contender for the Kentucky Oaks with a solid win in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (USA-G2) that didn’t look as if it reached the bottom of her gas tank. Davona Dale Stakes (USA-G2) winner She Be Smooth (who had beaten Prom Queen into second in that race) was back in third, and Prom Queen’s final pre-Oaks move on 4/24 was five furlongs in :59.80, good enough for fourth of 17 timed works at the distance over the Churchill Downs strip. She has improved substantially with every start thus far; however, she will be making only her fourth lifetime start in the Kentucky Oaks, and how she will react to the huge crowd and a much larger field than any she has faced so far will be anyone’s guess.
Prom Queen is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Quality Road, a stallion who is no stranger to the Classic scene as the sire of 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner and American 3-year-old champion filly Abel Tasman and of 2023 Preakness Stakes winner (USA-G1) and 2024 American champion older dirt male National Treasure. Through her dam, Miss Bling Bling, Prom Queen is a maternal granddaughter of three-time American champion sire Tapit, whose credits include four Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winners. Stamina should not be an issue here, especially seeing that Miss Bling Bling is a full sister to 2017 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (USA-G2) winner Actress.
Prom Queen is the second foal of Miss Bling Bling, whose dam, Milwaukee Appeal, was Canada’s champion 3-year-old filly in 2009 after winning the Woodbine Oaks and running second in the Alabama Stakes (USA-G1), the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1), and the Prince of Wales Stakes (the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown). Milwaukee Appeal’s sire, the Wild Again horse Milwaukee Brew, won two editions of the Santa Anita Handicap (USA-G1), so again, there seems no reason to question that Prom Queen will stay as far as she needs to.
My pick? I confess to having a soft spot for Counting Stars, who really caught my eye with her Fantasy win. However, I am no handicapper and won't have anything but a little pride riding on the result, so take that for what it's worth. Whoever wins, the Kentucky Oaks should be an excellent race. Here’s wishing all the contestants and their jockeys a safe trip, and may the best filly wear the lilies!
RSS Feed