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Elloluv
  4.26.2003 Photo By: Jeremy Lyverse  
Ashland Stakes (GI) winner Elloluv, a top contender for the 129th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI), and jockey Robby Albarado were accompanied by a pony prior to working six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Apr. 26.

Elloluv Drills Six Furlongs In 1:13 3/5
Apr. 26, 2003
By: Churchill Downs Notes Team

Kentucky Oaks 129 Headlines:

  • Elloluv Works Six Furlongs In 1:13 2/5
  • Zito Duo To Work Sunday
  • Midnight Cry Euthanized

    ATLANTIC OCEAN/SANTA CATARINA - Trainer Bob Baffert's pair for the Kentucky Oaks galloped separately over the wet main track Saturday morning. Atlantic Ocean, who has won twice and been second in the Fair Grounds Oaks this year, was out early. Santa Catarina, who displayed her good form in winning an allowance race at Santa Anita last month, came out after the break. The fillies are slated to have their final Oaks works either Sunday or Monday. Gary Stevens, who scored aboard Santa Catarina last out, gets the call again, while David Flores will ride Atlantic Ocean for the fifth straight time.

    BIRD TOWN/HOLIDAY LADY - After galloping today, both Nick Zito trainees will work Sunday, with Bird Town going out about 6:45 and Holiday Lady after the break. "Bird Town is the kind of filly that is always acting precocious," Zito said of the Beaumont Stakes runner-up. "Holiday Lady [third in the Ashland last out] is just starting to come around and catch her best stride. Both are consistent." Edgar Prado is going to ride Bird Town; Jose Santos is the jockey for Holiday Lady. Zito said he's happy to be at Churchill Downs for Derby week even though he has no Derby horse. "We can have some fun," he said.

    ELLOLUV - The Ashland Stakes winner and Santa Anita Oaks runner-up worked six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 over a track labeled good, today under jockey Robby Albarado. "That's perfect," trainer Craig Dollase said. "It was just a maintenance drill and she came out of it fine." Dollase said fillies usually have to be trained a little differently from colts, but Elloluv is an exception. "She's small, petite, but she trains like a colt. She's aggressive." Elloluv will gallop up to the race. He also talked about the recent injury to, and retirement of, Composure, Elloluv's arch-rival in Southern California. "Obviously, kudos to Composure. It was a great rivalry. We beat her once, and she beat us twice. I'd like to have beaten her a few more times, but we're in the driver's seat now." Trainer Bob Baffert is expected to enter Atlantic Ocean and Santa Catarina, and Dollase said that could affect how Robby Albarado will ride Elloluv, a front-runner. "He'll probably send one of them," Dollase said of Baffert. "Robby will have to be careful he doesn't get into a speed duel."

    GO FOR GLAMOUR - The show horse in the Santa Anita Oaks and Fantasy Stakes galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Andy Durnin. Trainer Beau Greely is still in California, where he saddled one winner Wednesday and one yesterday at Hollywood Park. Durnin said the filly would work this week, but he wasn't sure when.

    IN CASE OF WIND - The Bill Million trainee jogged a mile at Trackside after working five furlongs Friday. "She came off the track on her hind legs," Million said. "She's feeling good." The filly will walk tomorrow and then gallop up to the race." Calvin Borel will ride for Million, who noted, " we've pulled a few upsets together." The trainer said he has been pointing the filly to the Oaks for about three months. "That's why we didn't run in the Ashland," he said. "We wanted the best of her the first Friday of May. I think it's important to come in with a fresh horse. That's what I tried to do." Million walks all of his horses on Sundays, so tomorrow will be an easy day for his Oaks horse.

    ISLAND FASHION - Winner of the Winstar/Sunland Oaks last time out, the Petionville filly galloped today under exercise rider Andy Durnin. Trainer Nick Canani said Pat Valenzuela will ride Friday. "He sure is riding great," Canani said. Canani described his filly as "very versatile. She was on the lead sprinting one day [in a maiden race] and came from 10 lengths back just the other day [in the Winstar]. She's really nice. ... We expected her to be really nice. She was really late to come around." The filly is scheduled to work a half-mile Monday after the break.

    LADY TAK - With owner Bill Heiligbrodt looking on, Kentucky Oaks hopeful Lady Tak galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break under exercise rider Lisa Orn. Lady Tak, who will be ridden in the Oaks by Jerry Bailey, is scheduled to work Monday. Lady Tak will attempt to give her owner an Oaks Day double. "I have a three-quarter brother to Swamp named Marsh, who is going to run in the Crown Royal (American Turf)," Heiligbrodt said.

    MIDNIGHT CRY - Barrister Hall Stable's Midnight Cry, winner of the Forward Gal (GII) at Gulfstream Park and third in her most recent start in the Stonerside Beaumont (GII) at Keeneland, suffered a fatal injury during a workout Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Trainer Ken McPeek said Saturday's work was to have been her final major prep for the Kentucky Oaks. "It was her last work and we hadn't ruled her out on the Oaks," said McPeek. "She was doing extremely well. But she switched to her left lead in the turn and fractured a sesamoid." McPeek said exercise rider Hanne Jorgensen escaped injury when Midnight Cry went down. The filly was euthanized on the track. The incident provided another example of the highs and lows of Thoroughbred racing. McPeek and his stable were energized just hours before when their promising 3-year-old Wild and Wicked scored a 9 ½-length victory on Friday on the closing day card at Keeneland. Then came today's crushing disappointment. "We're all very, very, very upset," said McPeek. "We have days like yesterday when we uncork a monster and then you have a day like today and this game sticks a knife in your heart." Midnight Cry had a career record of 3-1-2 in eight races and earnings of $213,152.

    MY BOSTON GAL - Beaumont Stakes winner My Boston Gal paid a visit to the starting gate and then jogged under exercise rider Tracey Wilkes after the renovation break. "I saw (Bobby) Frankel take Empire Maker to the gate the other day, so I figured I should do it, too," trainer Carl Nafzger said with a laugh. Ironically, it was Frankel who denied Nafzger glory in the 1998 Oaks when Flute beat Banshee Breeze. Nafzger was asked how My Boston Gal compared with Banshee Breeze, who went on to win an Eclipse Award in 1998 as champion 3-year-old filly. "In terms of development, they are about the same," Nafzger said. "They both have plenty of talent, but there still is plenty of learning to do. Banshee Breeze got herself beat here. She got the lead at the head of the stretch and then stopped running." Pat Day has the call.

    MY TRUSTY CAT - The Honeybee Stakes winner went out for her usual gallop today and will work tomorrow at 6:15. "You can barely see," trainer David Vance said, "but the track gets chewed up if you wait until it's light, and after the break it's too congested. I can see her through the stretch - that's all I need." Vance said it is not 100 percent, carved-in-stone certain that the filly - owned by Churchill Downs Board Chairman Carl Pollard - will start in Friday's Kentucky Oaks even though she has been pointed toward the race since last fall. "After the work we'll talk about it," Vance said. "We'll see what's going on. There are a lot of good fillies in the race." Still, Vance was pleased with the way his charge has come up to the race, following her victory in the Honeybee with a fourth in the Fantasy Stakes. "In the Honeybee, she just exploded past the leaders. She'd been six or seven lengths back," he said. "In the Fantasy she broke sharp and was stuck three wide most of the way. She still made two or three runs at them." Shane Sellers will be the jockey.

    YELL - The Shug McGaughey trainee walked under tack at Belmont Park today, two days after a five-furlong move in about 1:01 1/5. She was hand-walked yesterday. "She'll fly down on Wednesday, go to the track Thursday, and probably school," assistant trainer Buzzy Tenney said. "She's had all of her training." She leaves New York in the afternoon and should arrive at Churchill by early evening.

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