Gal O Gal In A Drive For Five
Ogden Mills Phipps'
unbeaten Storm Flag Flying,
winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I) and the champion
2-year-old filly of 2002, heads a list of 138 3-year-old fillies
nominated to the 129th renewal of the $500,000-added
Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 2.
If the Shug McGaughey-trained daughter of Storm Cat runs in the
Oaks, she will attempt to repeat the success enjoyed under the historic
Twin Spires of Churchill Downs by her acclaimed grand-dam Personal
Ensign.
Personal Ensign defeated Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Winning
Colors (GI) in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) at Churchill Downs to
complete an unbeaten racing career. Storm Flag Flying's dam, My Flag,
did not have as much luck at the
Louisville track. She finished fifth to Pike Place Dancer in the 1996
Kentucky Oaks in her only race at Churchill Downs.
McGaughey also nominated Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's
Yell, winner of last week's Davona Dale (GIII) at Gulfstream Park.
Other 3-year-old filly stars nominated to the Kentucky Oaks
include Las Virgenes (GI) winner Composure; Hollywood
Starlet (GI) winner Elloluv; Spinaway (GI) winner Awesome Humor, Golden
Rod (GII) winner My Boston Gal, Walmac Alcibiades (GII) winner Westerly
Breeze, Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies (GIII) winner Atlantic Ocean, and
unbeaten Lady Tak.
Dubai-based Godolphin Racing nominated eight fillies to the Oaks
and is the leading owner of Oaks nominees. The Godolphin group includes
Danuta, a daughter of 1989 Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence who won
the Moonshell Mile last week at Nad Al Sheba. Godolphin's Saeed bin
Suroor and U.S.-based Todd Pletcher each train eight Oaks nominees and
tied for leading trainer honors.
Four-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas nominated
four fillies to the 1 1/8-mile race, which will be televised live by
ESPN.
East -- Michael Sherman's
Elegant Designer, a winner of five of seven lifetime starts, heads a
field of six 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's $75,000 Busher
Stakes at Aqueduct.
The 1 1/16-mile Busher marks the debut at a two-turn distance
for the daughter of Suave Prospect, who is trained by Tony Dutrow and
will be ridden by Mike Pino. Elegant Designer brings a three-race
winning streak into the Busher that includes wins in the Great State
Challenge Juvenile Fillies at Sam Houston and the Joe O'Farrell at
Calder Race Course.
The major threat to Elegant Designer may be Cyber Secret, winner
of the Busanda at Aqueduct for trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. on Jan. 26.
Jockey Jean-Luc Samyn returns to the saddle aboard Cyber Secret, a
winner of three of five races.
Southeast -- The streaking Gal O Gal,
winner of the Herecomesthebride (GIII) in her most recent outing,
figures to be the favorite in Friday's $65,000 Gaily Gaily Stakes on the
grass at Gulfstream Park.
That win by the Vincent Blengs-trained filly was her fourth
consecutive victory on the turf. Chris DeCarlo will return to ride Gal
O Gal, a daughter of Manlove and former claiming horse as she faces 11
rivals in the 1 1/8-mile race.
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