On paper, the $750,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park is a showdown between unbeaten Simply Joking for trainer Whit Beckman and Quietside for trainer John Ortiz.
But eight other 3-year-old fillies are out not only to upset the two favorites but to gain points toward eligibility for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1), with the 1 1/16-mile race awarding 200 total points (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) to the top five finishers.
She will be making her third career start in the Fantasy Stakes, having broken her maiden going 6 furlongs in the Letellier Memorial on Dec. 21 at the Fair Grounds and following that up with a front-running 2½-length victory in the 1-mile, 70-yard Silverbulletday on Jan. 18, also at the Fair Grounds.
She was scheduled to start there in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) on Feb. 15 but was scratched. Since returning to the tab on March 2, she's had four works, most recently covering a half mile in :48 on March 22.
Owned by Grantley Acres, Conner, Ryan, and Berkels0813, the daughter of Practical Joke, out of the E Dubai mare Imply, fetched $65,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September sale and has earned $153,000.
Currently second on the 2025 Kentucky Oaks leaderboard behind Good Cheer, brings to the Fantasy a record of 2-3-1 from six starts, including a one-length victory in Oaklawn’s $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) on Feb. 23 at the Fantasy distance. The Honeybee was her first win since breaking her maiden on Aug. 4 at Saratoga.
In between, she recorded three runner-up finishes: the Spinaway (G1) at the Spa, the Goldenrod (G2) at Churchill Downs, and the Mount Washington at Oaklawn. She was also third in the Alcibiades (G1).
The Honeybee was the 39th career Oaklawn stakes victory for Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony, who bred and owns Quietside.
Trainer Kenny McPeek, who won last year’s Fantasy with Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna and in 2020 with Swiss Skydiver, winner of the Preakness and that year’s 3-year-old filly champion, counters with Take Charge Milady.
The Take Charge Indy filly, owned by James Ball, Magdelana Racing, and Kenneth Rhodes, is 2-1-0 from five starts. She defeated Quietside by 5¾ lengths in the Mount Washington but was never a factor in finishing 10th in the Honeybee.
The second choice in the Honeybee field of 13, Take Charge Milady, was shuffled back early and never got a chance to run as she finished 32 ½ lengths behind Quietside. Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. takes over from Julien Leparoux.
Also vying for Kentucky Oaks points are Sunland Park Oaks winner Runnin N Gunnin for trainer Steve Asmussen, seeking his fifth win the Fantasy; the Mark Casse-trained Necessity, fourth in the Honeybee; and the Brad Cox-trained California Sunset, making her graded stakes debut with a record of 1-2-2 from six lifetime starts.
Rounding out the field are recent maiden winner Princess Aliyah for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Kinzie Queen, Princess Em Too, and Baytown Butterfly.
For those who Bet on Horse Racing
The Picks: 1 Take Charge Milady, 2 Quietsid, and 3 Runnin N Gunnin
The field for the $750,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, and odds:
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