The Forward Gal and Las Virgenes were the last two Kentucky Oaks 2025 preps races, and in this report, I will recap those two races plus the Martha Washington, update the Oaks points standings, and share my latest top five Oaks contenders.
The next Oaks points race is the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, February 8, and La Cara is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
Suncoast field – 1 – Deloraine (12-1), 2 – Dancing Magic (8-1), 3 – Italian Soiree (7-2), 4 – Her Laugh (5-2), 5 – Junta (12-1), 6 – La Cara (2-1), 7 – Queen in the Deck (30-1), 8 – Cloe (8-1).
Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Race Recaps
Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn (1-25-25): Her Laugh scratched and that changed the complexion of the pace. 25-1 longshot Legal Empress was on a clear early lead and that allowed her to overperform, but she was not good enough to win. Quietside was the 1-2 favorite and she was away last and moved up inside to stalk the pace. Gowells Delight made an early bid for the lead but stalled out quickly, and Quietside and Take Charge Milady moved as a team and passed Legal Empress. Take Charge Milady was moving best of all in the stretch and rolled home to win by 5 3/4 lengths under Julien Leparoux. Quietside was clearly second best and Legal Empress ended up a clear third. Gowells Delight weakened to fourth and Adeera trailed throughout. Ken McPeek saddled the winner. Fractions: 24.35, 48.79, 1:13.62, 1:40.11, 1:46.81.
Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream (2-1-25): Rojo Rita was the 2-1 favorite and she broke inward and ducked in and impeded a pair of foes. Despite all of that or because of it, she got to the front and Stunner pressed the pace from the outside post. Stunner had a short lead with a furlong to go but her stablemate Eclatant was on the move under Luis Saez, and she rallied outside in the stretch and won by a length and a quarter. Stunner landed the place in a quality effort and The Queens M G stalked the pace and was best of the rest in third. Unchained Elaine stalked from the inside post and ended up an even fourth, and she was followed by Frida, Rojo Rita, My Denysse, Costa Amalfitana, Justinqueso, Volatiled, and Beyond Belief. Rojo Rita was disqualified from 6th and placed 11th for causing early interference. Eclatant is 3-for-3 sprinting and might stay around one turn. Fractions: 22.04, 44.76, 1:10.39, 1:23.61.
Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita (2-2-25): Lolo Le Plume and Our Moonlight scratched, and that left three runners in this Kentucky Oaks 2025 points race. Just as Fancy and overwhelming favorite Tenma battled on the lead and second time starter Cipriani was far behind those two early. Tenma put away her pace rival and won by 6 1/2 lengths. Cipriani finished up nicely for the place and Just as Fancy was far behind in third. Juan Hernandez rode the winner for Bob Baffert and this was Tenma’s third graded triumph. Fractions: 23.05, 47.45, 1:12.56, 1:25.63, 1:38.31.
Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Race Results
Pocahontas (10-5-3-2-1) – Sep. 16 – Winner: La Cara ($12.72)
Alcibiades (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 6 – Winner: Immersive ($5.34)
Frizette (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 7 – Winner: Scottish Lassie ($15.00)
Oak Leaf (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 7 – Winner: Non Compliant ($4.00)
Rags to Riches (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 29 – Winner: Good Cheer ($3.48)
BC Juvenile Fillies (30-15-9-6-3) – Nov. 3 – Winner: Immersive ($6.00)
Golden Rod (10-5-3-2-1) – Nov. 30 – Winner: Good Cheer ($3.32)
Demoiselle (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 7 – Winner: Muhimma ($2.80)
Starlet (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 7 – Winner: Tenma ($7.00)
Untapable (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 21 – Winner: Her Laugh ($11.00)
Sant Ynez (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 5 – Winner: Look Forward ($5.40)
Busanda (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 18 – Winner: Running Away ($5.10)
Silverbulletday (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 18 – Winner: Simply Joking ($5.40)
Martha Washington (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 25 – Winner: Take Charge Milady ($7.20)
Forward Gal (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 1 – Winner: Eclatant ($10.00)
Las Virgenes (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 2 – Tenma ($2.40)
Upcoming Oaks Points Races:
Suncoast (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 8
Rachel Alexandra (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 15
Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 16
Cincinnati Trophy (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 21
UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 21
Honeybee (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 22
Busher (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
Davona Dale (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
Santa Ysabel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 2
Virginia Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 15
Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 22
FG Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 22
Fantasy (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29
GP Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29
Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
Top 20 Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Leaders (thru 2-7-25)
Tenma (33 points)
Eclatant (23 points)
Good Cheer, Take Charge Milady, Simply Joking, Running Away (20 points)
Vodka With a Twist, Quietside (18 points)
Scottish Lassie (16 points)
Look Forward (15 points)
Quickick (14 points)
La Cara (13 points)
Muhimma, Non Compliant, Stunner, Her Laugh, Bless the Broken, My Sherrona, Cipriani (10 points)
Liam in the Dust (8 points)
Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2025 Contenders (2-7-25)
#1 – Muhimma (Munnings – Princess Carolina, by Tapit) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: Brad Cox’s unbeaten filly ended 2024 with a wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle. She is wintering in Florida and has worked four times this year including a 5f breeze in 1:02.00 (8/17) at Payson Park on Feb. 1. She might begin her 3-year-old campaign in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn on Feb. 22.
#2 – Ballerina d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro – In the Moonlight, by Tapit) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: Last year’s G2 Demoiselle runner-up shows five Payson Park moves this year including a half-mile breeze in 49.60 (16/48) on Feb. 1.
#3 – Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro – Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: Brad Cox’s 4-for-4 filly has breezed five times this year at Payson Park including a 5f move in 1:01.80 (6/17) at Payson Park on Feb. 1.
#4 – Quickick (McKinzie – Graeme Six, by Graeme Hall) – Trainer: Tom Amoss – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: She had a productive juvenile campaign with a runner-up finish in the Alcibiades (G1) and a show finish in the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1). She is spending the winter at Fair Grounds and got back to work with a 3f bullet in 36.60 (1/8) on Jan. 29, and came back five days later with a 5f breeze in 1:01.40 (13/22) on Feb. 3.
# 5 Pretty Sassy (Medaglia d’Oro – Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) Trainer: Brendan Walsh – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: She moved forward in a big way in her romping dirt route maiden win at Fair Grounds second time out Jan. 19. She breezed a half-mile in 49.80 (62/90) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 2.
Next Nine: (6) Tenma, (7) Simply Joking, (8) Scottish Lassie, (9) Running Away, (10) Look Forward, (11) Her Laugh, (12) Take Charge Milady, (13) Wondrous, (14) Quietside
