Moira, Holy Helena, Dixie Moon, Lexie Lou, Inglorious.
Those are a few of the Woodbine Oaks winners from the last two decades, fillies who won the biggest prize for Canadian-bred three-year-old gals and went on to more glory on the track, increasing their value as they went. Moira is still racing, of course, and the other four either sold for big money at auction or are producing foals worth big money.
It remains to be seen what this year’s Oaks field will produce even with the maximum of 14 starters (second consecutive year with 14 starters). It is widely accepted among the horsepeople set that this field is one of the weakest in years based in part on their current track records.
The highest last-race Beyer Figure (from Daily Racing Form) of these fillies is the 79 earned by CAITLINGERGRTNESS when she won a 7 1/2 furlong turf race on July 6 off a long layoff. That was two weeks ago and the filly is expected to come right back in the Oaks on the Tapeta with Rafael Hernandez riding. Most of the last 20 winners of the Oaks had Beyers well into the 80s before they won the coveted first race of the Triple Tiara.
Only three horses expected to start in Saturday’s Oaks at 1 1/8 miles have posted a Beyer in the 80s: War Painter (Danish Dynaformer), Ba Dee Yah (Uncle Mo) and Inudation (Collected). The winner could very well be one of those three.
As of Tuesday, Mark Dodson’s A LITTLE FRISKY is not a certain starter, while the maiden BEAUTIFUL SKY, by Sky Mesa, was stuck on the also-eligible list along with recent claim LOOKIN TO CONQUER (before any withdrawals).
Trainer KEVIN ATTARD, who has won two of the last three Woodbine Oaks, is set to enter five fillies with War Painter and Caitlinhergrtness and My Girl Della the best three.
Breeder DAVID ANDERSON won his first Oaks as a breeder last year (and the first Oaks for Anderson Farms, founded by his father by Bob) and he has four fillies he bred in this year’s race.
Breeder CHARLES FIPKE could have two homebreds in the race – War Painter, a $30,000 purchase by Ontario stallion Danish Dynaformer and owned by the Canuck Racing Club, and FOURFIFTYFOUR, by Ontario sire Perfect Timber, who cost $10,000 at a Kentucky sale and is owned by Barb Minshall.
69th WOODBINE OAKS CONTENDERS
ranked by Canadian Thoroughbred
(race is restricted to 14 entries, by earnings)
Horse / Jockey (if known) / Trainer
1. BA DEE YAH – Luis Contreras, Tom Amoss, Kentucky Based Stakes Winner, Has not tried Tapeta
2. WAR PAINTER – Emma-Jayne Wilson, Kevin Attard, Stakes winner comes off win
3. KIN’S CONCERTO – Sofia Vives, Josie Carroll, 2nd in recent allowance
4. INUDATION – Kevin Attard, Won Princess Elizabeth last year, flopped in 2024 opener
5. HURRICANE CLAIR – Sahin Civaci, Martin Drexler, won a 2-turn turf test
6. CAITLINHERGRTNESS – Rafael Hernandez, Kevin Attard, won at 2 turns on turf last weekend
7. MY GIRL DELLA – Patrick Husbands, Kevin Attard, maiden winner slowly improving
8. LUNCH WITH BERNIE – Edgar Zayas, Mark Casse, 3rd Fury Stakes
9 A LITTLE FRISKY (on fence on whether to race) – Josie Carroll, Stakes winner at 2
10 BRAVO KATE – Sid Attard, 4th Fury Stakes
*11 BEAUTIFUL SKY – Mike DePaulo, 2nd maiden race vs older horses
*12 LOOKIN TO CONQUER – Martin Hinckson, Supplement, 3rd allowance race
13 HOLIDAY IN JAIL – Robert Tiller , 3rd to War Painter
14 VUCHELLA – Pietro Moran, maiden, 2nd or 3rd in last 3 starts
15 SHAMANS GIRL – Harold Ladouceuer, stakes winner at 2, 5th Selene stakes (G3)
16. FOURFORTYFOUR – B Minshall, stakes placed, 3rd to Hurricane Clair
*Currently on the also-eligible list
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