West -- She did not score what anyone would consider a knockout, but Robert and Beverly Lewis' Composure took round 3 of her rivalry with J. Paul Reddam's Elloluv as she defeated that rival by three-quarters-of-a-length to win Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks (Grade I).

The Bob Baffert-trained daughter of Touch Gold collared her pacesetting rival in upper stretch and held Elloluv safe through the lane under jockey Jerry Bailey. She covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:43.34. Go For Glamour was 4 1/2-lengths farther back in third.

"This wasn't particularly her kind of race, having to come from off a very slow pace," said Bailey. "But when the other filly picked it up, my horse found another gear."

Composure's victory underscored her status as one of the favorites for the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (GI) at Churchill Downs on May 2, but Baffert has said the filly is also a candidate to face males in the Kentucky Derby (GI) on the following day. Assistant trainer Jim Barnes, who saddled Composure, said it's "too far off" to make that type of decision.

Central -- Saturday's $350,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) loomed as the biggest challenge in the career of Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's unbeaten Lady Tak, but the diminutive filly broke from the starting gate as the favorite in the 1 1/16-mile race and did not disappoint her admirers.

The Steve Asmussen-trained daughter of Muktaddim changed her frontrunning style and rallied from fourth place to score an easy 3 1/2-length victory over the Baffert-trained Southern California invader Atlantic Ocean. The Oaks was the first two-turn test for Lady Tak, who won for the fifth time and covered the distance 1:44.36 under jockey Donnie Meche.

"She deserves all the credit," said Asmussen. "For this filly to be that intelligent to change her style to suit the race at this level of competition, she is more than one in a million."

Silverbulletday (GIII) winner Belle of Perintown was third, 2 1/4-lengths behind Atlantic Ocean.

"She just crushes everything they throw at her.," said Meche. "I think we'll see even better ones out there and I think we're ready for them."

Carl Pollard's My Trusty Cat, racing with blinkers for the first time, rallied from just off the pace and romped to an easy five length-victory over Ruby's Reception in Saturday's $75,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park. Don Pettinger rode the David Vance-trained filly to her third win in eight races as My Trusty Cat covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.

Explosive Beauty, a two-time stakes winner at the Oaklawn meet, finished third.

Southeast -- My Boston Gal, who finished last as the favorite in the Davona Dale (GII) when hampered by a throat problem, will run in Friday's $200,000 Forward Gal (GII) at Gulfstream Trainer Carl Nafzger said stablemate Westerly Breeze, winner of the Alcibiades (GII) last fall, would also run in the 1 1/8-mile race.

East -- Powers Prospect led from the start in a one-length victory over Blushing Valley in Saturday's $50,000 Wide Country Stakes at Maryland's Laurel Park. Roberto Alvarado, Jr. rode the winner.

« Back To Oaks Updates