Kentucky Oaks Roundup: May 4, 2020

Stay up to speed on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a weekly roundup of all the latest news and developments:

Changes on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard

The rapidly-improving Swiss Skydiver hasn’t yet earned the respect of bettors, but she’s certainly earning the respect of her competition. After upsetting the Gulfstream Parks Oaks (G2) at 9-1, Swiss Skydiver battled to a 2 1/2-length victory at 16-1 in the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park, placing her atop the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 210 points.

Las Virgenes (G2) runner Venetian Harbor ran a gutsy race of her own in the Fantasy, setting fast fractions of :22.25, :45.43, and 1:09.67 before settling for second place, 10 3/4 lengths clear of Honeybee (G3) winner Shedaresthedevil. Venetian Harbor now sits ninth on the leaderboard with 50 points, while Shedaresthedevil boosted her total to 70 points, good enough for fourth place.

Alta’s Award, who completed the superfecta in the Fantasy, rallied into 13th position on the leaderboard with 30 points. Meanwhile, reigning champion 2-year-old filly British Idiom (50 points, eighth place) finished a disappointing 10th in the Fantasy and failed to improve her qualification ranking.

On the Work Tab towards the Kentucky Oaks

Bonny South: Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner turned in an easy maintenance move on Saturday at Keeneland, breezing a half-mile in :50.80.

Lucrezia: Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up breezed 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 on Saturday at Fair Hill.

Maedean: On Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the Demoiselle (G2) runner-up worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.65.

Perfect Alibi: Spinaway (G1) winner continues to train forwardly for her 3-year-old debut, clocking 5 furlongs in 1:02.67 over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

Sharing: In her eighth workout of 2020, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) heroine stepped up to 6 furlongs at Fair Hill, breezing the distance in 1:13.60.

Tempers Rising: Fair Grounds Oaks runner-up turned in a sharp half-mile move on Saturday at Fair Grounds, getting the distance in :48.80.

Tonalist’s Shape: Two-time graded stakes winner is gradually gearing up for a spring/summer campaign, breezing 4 furlongs in :48.02 on Sunday at Gulfstream.

Water White: Busher Invitational winner turned in an easy workout over the Belmont Park training track on Apr. 28, clocking 5 furlongs in 1:04.22.

Looking Ahead to the Kentucky Oaks

The Santa Anita Oaks (G2) has been tentatively rescheduled for June 6, pending approval from county officials for Santa Anita to reopen. But since many prospective Santa Anita Oaks candidates contested the Fantasy, it’s unclear which runners might turn up in California next month.

One filly who won’t be in the mix is the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up Donna Veloce, who has been sidelined with a minor training setback. She’ll need a couple months of rest, but with the postponement of the Kentucky Oaks until Sept. 4, it’s still possible Donna Veloce could return in time for vie for victory at Churchill Downs.