The final three qualifying races for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) unfold at Churchill Downs, Aqueduct, and Santa Anita Park beginning Friday, with the first through fifth finishers in each receiving points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale for the $1.5 million race for 3-year-old fillies on May 2.
Here’s a rundown on all three:
The opening weekend at Keeneland has been rescheduled due to severe weather in the region, and the Ashland is now set for Monday (April 7).
The first Grade 1 of 2025 for sophomore fillies, the $750,000 Ashland has served as the final stepping stone for 14 winners who took the Kentucky Oaks, the most recent of which was Malathaat in 2021.
Trained by Brad Cox, 9-5 morning-line favorite Muhimma has won three of four career races, including the Demoiselle (G2), and enters off a third-place finish as the favorite in the Honeybee (G3) behind Quietside at Oaklawn Park.
Two-time stakes winner La Cara, 9-2, last was seen finishing second as the favorite in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 1. Her previous wins for trainer Mark Casse include the 2024 Pocahontas (G3) and a 6 ¼-length win in the listed Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs.
Trainer Kenny McPeek, who has three Ashland victories on his resume, has entered 8-1 shot Take Charge Milady, who opened 2025 with a 5 ¾-length victory over Quietside in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park but then finished 10th behind that one in the Honeybee.
From the barn of Wesley Ward comes Running Away (3-1), who closed out 2024 by breaking her maiden at third asking, then kicked off 2025 with a win in the Busanda at Aqueduct.
As for Oaks points, La Cara has 51.75 for seventh on the leaderboard (the Oaks field is limited to 14); Muhimma, Admit, and Amarth each have 25 points (ranked 16th, 19th, and 21, respectively); Take Charge Milady and Running Away with 20 points apiece; Look Forward with 15; and Supa Speed with 12.5.
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Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, Ballerina d’Oro was nosed out for second as the favorite in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park in her 2025 debut.
Racing closer to the pace than usual because of the short five-horse field, she was last of five early, then came wide to finish 2 ¾ lengths behind winner The Queens M G, with La Cara second.
“That track favors speed and getting her back to one turn; she was against it. She did finish up well and galloped out super,” Brown said. “She's moved forward nicely. I've liked her last couple of works quite a bit, so she'll see if she can stamp her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks.”
The gray daughter of Medaglia d’Oro made her first three starts on turf and, with blinkers added for the Demoiselle, came from last to finish one length behind the victorious Muhimma.
"She ran a good race from a difficult post there in her first start on the dirt,” Brown said of the Demoiselle effort. “She had a lot of things I was throwing at her at once, and she handled it quite well.”
Repole Stable’s Vanilla Sundae faces winners for the first time off an eye-popping 15 3/4-length maiden win at third asking on Feb. 27.
Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Deloraine returns to dirt after placing third in the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Her two starts on dirt resulted in a third in a one-mile maiden in August at Horseshoe Indianapolis and a distant third-place finish in the Suncoast at Tampa.
Liam in the Dust, third in the Demoiselle, and maiden winners Pure Beauty, Diriyah Park, and Late Nite Call are rounding out the field.
There may be a field of six 3-year-old fillies entered in the $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2), but Grade 1 winner Tenma and BC Juvenile Fillies runner-up Vodka With a Twist are in a class above the others.
Tenma, trained by Bob Baffert, has won four of five starts, including the Del Mar Debutante in 2024 and the Las Virgenes (G3) in February to kick off her 3-year-old season. Juan Hernandez will ride the Nyquist filly.
Vodka With A Twist, trained by Phil D’Amato, makes her long-awaited 3-year-old debut after running second behind champion Immersive in the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Nov. 1. Previously, the Thousand Words filly ran second in both the Del Mar Debutante and Sorrento (G3). Antonio Fresu has the call.
Silent Law, also trained by Baffert, faded to third behind winner Look Forward in the 7-furlong Santa Ynez in January. Look Forward, trained by Michael McCarthy, also runs in the Oaks.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
