Kentucky Oaks 2024 Update (4-22-24)

By Jarrod Horak

Group 3 UAE Oaks winner Manama Gold is now possible for Kentucky Oaks 2024. In this report, I will check out the latest Oaks news and update my “Fabulous 5” Oaks contenders. 

Manama Gold is now trained by Todd Pletcher and is expected to arrive at Churchill Downs on April 22. She picked up 50 Kentucky Derby Oaks points with her victory in the UAE Oaks (G3) on Feb. 23. Entries for the Kentucky Oaks close on April 27, and she would have to be supplemented to the race for $25,000. If they pay the fee to make her eligible, she would be 14th on the Oaks points list with 50 points. Our Pretty Woman also has 50 points for Steve Asmussen, but Manama Gold gets the tiebreaker for having more unrestricted stakes earnings.  

Our Pretty Woman is suddenly on the bubble and might be stuck on the AE list if Manama Gold enters the Oaks. Steve Asmussen’s filly exits a runner-up finish in the FG Oaks (G2). She has breezed three times at Churchill Downs since her last start. She went five panels in 1:00.00 (2/32) on April 21. She drops off my Oaks list due to this developing situation with Manama Gold, but I respect her early speed if she gets into the Oaks starting gate.  

Busanda Stakes winner Gin Gin breezed 5f in 1:00.80 (20/71) at Churchill Downs on April 20. She completed the trifecta in the Busher and Gazelle (G3) in her last two starts. 

Florida-bred filly Fiona’s Magic worked four panels in 48.12 (5/52) at Gulfstream Park on April 22. She captured the Grade 2 Davona Dale on March 2, and was unplaced in the GP Oaks (G2) on March 30. 

Tapit Jenallie had her first work under the Twin Spires on April 18. The Fantasy Stakes (G3) show finisher fired a five panel bullet in 58.40 (1/19). 

Everland qualified for the Kentucky Oaks with a victory in the listed Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park on March 23. She traveled five furlongs in 1:03.80 (29/30) at Keeneland on April 20. 

Lemon Muffin punched her Oaks ticket with a maiden win in the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn in February. She disappointed in the Fantasy Stakes (G3) last time. She had her first Churchill breeze for D. Wayne Lukas on April 20. She went an easy 5f in 1:02.20 (57/71). 

GP Oaks (G2) show finisher Into Champagne had her second Churchill Downs workout on April 20. She traveled five panels in 1:00.20 (11/71). 

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)

Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5 – Winner: Leslie’s Rose ($20.90)

Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 6 – Where’s My Ring ($7.10)

SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 6 – Nothing Like You ($16.40)

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Top 18 Kentucky Oaks 2024 Points Leaders (thru 4-22-24)

Tarifa 150 points

Where’s My Ring 125 points

Power Squeeze 120 points

Leslie’s Rose 115 points

Thorpedo Anna 105 points

Just F Y I 90 points

Gin Gin 66 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

Manama Gold 50 points

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Our Pretty Woman 50 points

Candied  34 points

Impel 25 points

Scalable 18 points

Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2024 Contenders (4-22-24)

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

Comments: She has had a smooth few weeks since winning the FG Oaks (G2) on March 23. She had back-to-back half-mile moves at Churchill on April 5 and April 13, and breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 (20/71) on April 20. 

#2 – LESLIE’S ROSE  (Into Mischief – Wildwood Rose-IRE, by Galileo-IRE) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Comments: She spent the winter in Florida and finished a disappointing third as the favorite in the Davona Dale (G2) on March 2. She shipped to Keeneland and came though with a new top performance in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 5. The $1.15 million daughter of Into Mischief figures to get back on the worktab this week for Todd Pletcher. 

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

Comments: Her victory in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn on March 30 was excellent. That was her first start in four months and she overcame the outside post to win convincingly. She ran twice at Churchill last year with a win and a second, and has had two works under the Twin Spires since her last start. She breezed five panels in 1:00.60 (14/71) on April 20. 

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

Comments: The juvenile filly champ is healthy again after getting sick and missing the Davona Dale on March 2. She had her one and only Oaks prep in the Ashland (G1) on April 5, and she finished a solid second in a race she desperately needed. The 2-time Grade 1 winner has breezed twice at Churchill since her last start. The Justify filly went a half-mile in 50.00 (11/18) on April 18, and came back four days later with a five furlong bullet in 59.80 (1/12). She galloped out three-eighths in 1:12.61, and seven panels in 1:25.48. This was a strong work and she looks fit and ready for the Oaks. 

#5 – WAYS AND MEANS (Practical Joke – Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward) – Trainer: Chad Brown

Comments: This Practical Joke filly was one of the most talented juveniles in the country last year. She was outstanding in her debut victory by 12 3/4 lengths at Saratoga last summer. The betting public made her 45 cents on the dollar in the Grade 1 Spinaway at the Spa second time out, and was clearly second best but should have won. She had an awkward start, was in tight, and was taken up and clipped heels with eventual winner Brightwork. She moved up and bid for the lead but ultimately came up a half-length short. That was a gallant effort and she took a chip off her right front ankle, and went to the sidelines for more than half a year. Her belated sophomore bow came in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 30 and she went off at 1-2 odds. Once again, the trip did her in. She raced in traffic early and was jostled around, and had to steady while dropping back around the first turn. Her rider Irad Ortiz Jr. pulled the trigger early and made a wide bid for the lead at the half-mile mark. She gained a short advantage around the far turn, but she could not quite hold off perfect-trip inside stalker Power Squeeze. She has worked twice at Payson Park since the GP Oaks including a five panel bullet in 1:00.60 (1/10) on April 20. Chad Brown has been high on this one for quite some time and she might go much better in her second start after a long layoff in the Kentucky Oaks.