Kentucky Oaks 2024 Update (4-1-24)

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes were the latest road to Kentucky Oaks 2024 points races. In this report, I will look back at those events and update my “Fabulous 5” Oaks contenders. The Grade 1 Ashland on April 5 and the Gazelle (G3) and Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 6 are the final three Kentucky Oaks points races.

Kentucky Oaks 2024 Points Race Recaps

Gulfstream Park Oaks (3-30-24)

Fractions: 24.18, 47.86, 1:11.66, 1:37.55, 1:44.19

Top 5 Finishers: Power Squeeze, Ways and Means, Into Champagne, Gun Song, Scalable

They were bunched up and jockeying for position in the early going, and post time favorite Ways and Means probably took the worst of it. She was bumped around pretty good and shuffled back, and was forced to move outside around the first turn. Chad Brown’s returnee made a quick wide move on the backstretch to challenge for the lead, and hit the front turning for home and was looking pretty good. One horse in this race avoided all of the traffic and that was Power Squeeze. The latter broke from the inside post and saved all the ground stalking the pace. Power Squeeze was all alone in fourth behind Into Champagne, Gun Song, and Ways and Means, and the latter emerged as the leader turning for home. Daniel Centeno was getting busy aboard Power Squeeze and she started making inroads, and she caught Ways and Means late and scored by a length. The runner-up was 5 3/4 lengths in front of Into Champagne and Gun Song. Power Squeeze has now won four straight. Ways and Means was making her first start since September 2023 and could have easily won this race with a better trip, and she is the runner I want out of this heat.   

Fantasy (3-30-24)

Fractions: 23.45, 47.90, 1:13.14, 1:38.01, 1:44.24

Top 5 Finishers: Thorpedo Anna, West Omaha, Tapit Jenallie, All Things Go, Recharge

Recharge broke on top and Candy Aisle, Thorpedo Anna, and Ba Dee Yah were in chase mode. Thorpedo Anna was sitting pretty from the outside post under Brian Hernandez Jr., and she made a bid for the lead at the six furlong mark. She quickly opened up by three lengths and West Omaha was her only danger. The latter was my top choice, and she moved up from midpack and tried to make a race of it, but Thorpedo Anna had no intention of stopping and won by four lengths. West Omaha was clearly second best and Tapit Jenallie rallied for the show at 27-1. Thorpedo Anna was making her first start since November 2023 and Ken McPeek had her ready to roll. 

Kentucky Oaks 2024 Points Race Results 

Pocahontas (10-5-3-2-1) – Sep. 16 – Winner: V V’s Dream ($4.40)

Alcibiades (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 6 – Winner: Candied ($10.16)

Frizette (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 7 – Winner: Just F Y I ($11.60)

Chandelier (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 7 – Winner: Chatalas ($8.20)

Rags to Riches (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 29 – Winner: West Sunset ($17.72)

BC Juvenile Fillies (30-15-9-6-3) – Nov. 3 – Winner: Just F Y I ($16.00)

Golden Rod (10-5-3-2-1) – Nov. 25 – Winner: Intricate ($14.66)

Demoiselle (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 2 – Winner: Life Talk (4.00)

Starlet (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 9 – Winner: Nothing Like You ($6.20)

Untapable (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 23 – Winner: Alpine Princess ($5.40)

Sant Ynez (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 7 – Winner: Kopion ($2.40) 

Busanda (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 13 – Winner: Gin Gin ($7.60)

Silverbulletday (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 20 – Winner: West Omaha ($3.80)

Forward Gal (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 3 – Winner: R Harper Rose ($6.40)

Martha Washington (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 3 – Winner: Band of Gold ($50.60)

Las Virgenes (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 10 – Winner: Kinza ($4.00)

Suncoast (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 10 – Winner: Power Squeeze ($8.00)

Rachel Alexandra (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 17 – Winner: Tarifa ($7.00)

Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 18 – Winner: Recharge ($6.60)

UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 23 – Winner: Manama Gold ($2.20)

Honeybee (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 24 – Winner: Lemon Muffin ($58.20)

Cincinnati Trophy (20-10-6-4-2) – March 1 – Winner: Maxisuperfly ($48.36)

Busher (50-25-15-10-5) – March 2 – Winner: Jody’s Pride ($3.90)

Davona Dale (50-25-15-10-5) – March 2 – Winner: Fiona’s Magic ($20.20)

Santa Ysabel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 9 – Winner: Kinza ($3.00)

FG Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 23 – Winner: Tarifa ($5.00)

Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 23 – Winner: Everland ($24.10)

GP Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 30 – Winner: Power Squeeze ($24.00)

Fantasy (100-50-25-15-10) – March 30 – Winner: Thorpedo Anna ($7.40)

Upcoming Races:

Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5 

Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 6 

SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 6 

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Top 18 Kentucky Oaks 2024 Points Leaders (thru 4-1-24)

Tarifa – 150 points

Power Squeeze – 120 points

Thorpedo Anna – 105 points

West Omaha   – 90 points

Jody’s Pride – 65 points

Fiona’s Magic – 60 points

Tapit Jenallie – 54 points

Everland – 54 points

Lemon Muffin – 50 points

Into Champagne – 50 points

Ways and Means  – 50 points

Our Pretty Woman – 50 points

V V’s Dream – 48 points

Intricate – 45 points

Gin Gin – 41 points

Just FYI – 40 points

Alpine Princess – 35 points

Recharge – 30 points

Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2024 Contenders (4-1-24)

#1 – TARIFA (Bernardini – Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) – Trainer: Brad Cox

Comments: She wrapped up her Kentucky Oaks preparations with a smart win in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). She won back-to-back races prior to the FG Oaks including the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra. Brad Cox’s filly is peaking at the right time and her winning rider Flavien Prat will probably put her in the right tactical spot in the Kentucky Oaks.  

#2 – KOPION (Omaha Beach – Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop) – Trainer: Richard Mandella 

Comments: The Santa Ynez (G3) winner was no match for front runner Kinza in the Las Vigenes (G3) on Feb. 10. She has worked four times since her last start. The Omaha Beach filly fired back-to-back 6f bullets on March 10 and March 18, and traveled six panels in 1:13.20 (3/3) on March 25. She has been targeting the April 6 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) for several weeks and will try to turn the tables on Kinza.   

#3 – JUST F Y I (Justify – Star Act, by Street Cry) – Trainer: Bill Mott

Comments: An untimely fever forced her out of the Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park on March 2. She missed a few weeks of training and Bill Mott turned up the heat in her last two works. She drilled a half-mile bullet in 47.60 (1/12) at Payson Park on March 18, and fired another half-mile bullet in 48.80 (1/40) on March 29. The Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on April 5 is next.  

#4 – THORPEDO ANNA (Fast Anna, Sataves, by Uncle Mo) – Trainer: Ken McPeek

Comments: She was one of the original members of my Oaks list. I dropped her off due to inactivity, and she is back in the running after returning with a razor sharp victory in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn on March 30. She showed plenty of ability last year and is faster in 2024, and sure looks like a legit Oaks contender. In two previous starts under the Twin Spires, she won an optional-claiming race and was second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod. 

#5 – WEST OMAHA (West Coast – Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d’Oro) – Trainer: Brad Cox

Comments: This filly is a gem of consistency in the stakes ranks. She was second in the Untapable, first in the Silverbulletday, third in the Honeybee (G3), and clearly second best in the Fantasy (G3). She continues to get faster and has enough positional speed to keep the leaders in her sights in the Kentucky Oaks.