The rivalry between Kentucky Oaks 2021 hopefuls Travel Column and Clairiere has been fun to watch. They had their rubber match in the Fair Grounds Oaks and Travel Column came out victorious over her arch rival Clairiere. The Oaks trail is really heating up now. Only seven preps remain including the Bourbonette Oaks and Gulfstream Park Oaks on Saturday, March 27.
Kentucky Oaks 2021 Points Race Recaps
Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) – Fair Grounds (3-20-21)
The FG Oaks has been a reliable predictor of Kentucky Oaks success, and that might be the case again in 2021. Travel Column and Clairiere have arguably been the top two fillies in this division since last fall. Travel Column overcame a troubled trip to run down Clairiere under the Twin Spires in the Golden Rod in November 2020, and the latter got a great inside trip and turned the tables in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 13. They met for the third time in the FG Oaks, and Travel Column tracked the pace from the outside post and got the jump on Clairiere in a sharp victory by almost three lengths. Clairiere rallied from last and was clearly second best, and Souper Sensational set the pace and was best of the rest in 3rd. Obligatory and Li’l Tootsie were next, and Zaajel and Il Malocchio trailed. I cannot wait for Travel Column and Clairiere to meet again in the Kentucky Oaks. The former owns valuable running style versatility and frequently works out favorable trips, and the latter figures to relish a mile and an eighth at Churchill Downs.
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Top 20 Kentucky Oaks Points Leaders (through FG Oaks 3-20-21)
132 Points: Travel Column
94 Points: Clairiere
60 Points: Will’s Secret
52 Points: Wholebodemeister
50 Points: Beautiful Gift, Search Results
28 Points: Crazy Beautiful, Kalypso
24 Points: Souper Sensational, Vequist
22 Points: Moraz
20 Points: Miss Brazil, Pauline’s Pearl, The Grass Is Blue
18 Points: Dayoutoftheoffice
14 Points: Girl Daddy
13 Points: Simply Ravishing
12 Points: Moon Swag
11 Points: Sun Path
10 Points: Curlin’s Catch, Malathaat, Obligatory, Zaajel
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Upcoming Kentucky Oaks 2021 Points Races
Bourbonette Oaks (20-8-4-2) – March 27
GP Oaks (100-40-20-10) – March 27
Beaumont (10-4-2-1) – April 2
SA Oaks (100-40-20-10) – April 3
Gazelle (100-40-20-10) – April 3
Ashland (100-40-20-10) – April 3
Fantasy (100-40-20-10) – April 3
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Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2021 Contenders (3-26-21)
#1 – TRAVEL COLUMN – My longtime top ranked Oaks filly sat a great tactical trip in FG Oaks.
#2 – CLAIRIERE – FG Oaks runner-up will take on Travel Column for fourth time in Ky Oaks.
#3 – WILL’S SECRET – Made it three straight wins in Honeybee wire job. Fantasy Stakes might be next.
#4 – SIMPLY RAVISHING – Alcibiades winner might make 3yo bow in GP Oaks March 27.
#5 – MALATHAAT – Won all three starts in 2020. Gearing up for 3yo bow in G1 Ashland.
Article by Jarrod Horak
