The Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes was the latest Kentucky Oaks 2025 prep race and Maysam nipped Supa Speed in a thriller. In this report, I will recap that event along with four other recent points races, update the Oaks points standings, and share my latest top five Oaks contenders.
The next Kentucky Oaks points race is the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs on Saturday, March 15.
Virginia Oaks field: 1 – Icona Mama, 2 – Low Key, 3 – Gowells Delight, 4 – Anonima, 5 – Early On, 6 – You’ll Be Back, 7 – Girl Math, 8 – Fondly
I am covering all of the road to Kentucky Oaks prep races on my Runaway Horse YouTube Channel, and through the first 24 points races, my top choices have 10 wins, 4 runner-up finishes, and 3 show finishes. Two of my top choices scratched, so I am officially 10-for-22 on the road to the Oaks.
Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Race Recaps
Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn (2-23-25): This was supposed to be Muhimma’s race to control from the inside post, but it did not work out that way. The two horses drawn outside, Five G (Irad Ortiz, Jr.) and Quietside (Jose Ortiz), were aggressively handled and Florent Geroux aboard Muhimma was forced to back off. Five G had a short lead and Quietside pressed the issue. The two early runners kept going. Quietside got the upper hand in the stretch and edged clear late to win by a length. Runner-up Five G fought hard throughout and was 3 1/2 lengths clear of beaten favorite Muhimma. The latter moved up around the final turn, floated wide in the stretch, and was best of the rest in third. Necessity, Quickick, Anonima, Look Forward, Jenkin, Going Steady, Take Charge Milady, Gunite Max, Flash Wear, and Classic Appeal also ran. John Ortiz saddled the winner. Fractions: 23.19, 46.87, 1:11.81, 1:37.10, 1:43.63.
Busher Stakes at Aqueduct (3-1-25): Liam in the Dust was the favorite and she stalked from the inside post and faded to last. She’s Fascinating made the running and Volleyballprincess pressed from second and took the lead after a half-mile, and Amarth rallied wide and confronted Volleyballprincess with two furlongs to go. The latter pair were the ones to catch in the lane and Drexel Hill was closing ground in the stretch and was the only one with a winning chance from off the pace. Drexel Hill had all of the stretch momentum and won by 3/4ths of a length. Amarth was clearly second best and Volleyballprincess was a clear third. Fortuna Mia rallied from last of 8 to split the field, and Ramify, Sharp Smile, She’s Fascinating, and Liam in the Dust rounded out the order of finish. Ben Curtis rode the winner for Whitworth Beckman. Fractions: 23.64, 47.68, 1:14.09, 1:27.40, 1:41.46.
Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream (3-1-25): My Denysse and Quinn’s Promise scratched and that left a field of five. 41-1 outsider Madeline’s Promise set the pace and the tempo was not fast. La Cara tracked outside and The Queens M G stalked inside and had the run of the race under Irad Ortiz, Jr. The latter hugged the rail, scooted up the inside, and proved best by 2 3/4 lengths. La Cara had a good forwardly placed trip and just held the place by a nose over Ballerina d’Oro. Chad Brown’s show finisher was my top choice and she found her best stride late at a distance shorter than her best. Madeline’s Promise faded to fourth and Frida trailed. Saffie Joseph, Jr. saddled the winner and this was her third stakes triumph. Fractions: 24.24, 47.38, 1:12.32, 1:24.63, 1:37.85.
Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita (3-2-25): This race was down to four runners after Cipriani and Hey Jessie scratched. My top choice Maysam threw a fit in the gate in the Sunland Oaks, and she was on her best behavior on Sunday. Bob Baffert’s filly made the lead from the outside post under Juan Hernandez and even money favorite Supa Speed chased from second under Flavien Prat. Those two separated themselves from the other two runners and the match race was on. Neither would give inch in the stretch and it could have gone either way, and Maysam prevailed by a nose in a narrow decision. Supa Speed ran too good to lose in her first dirt attempt and was 6 1/2 lengths in front of Howin. 13-1 outsider Just as Fancy trailed throughout. Fractions: 23.45, 47.74, 1:12.31, 1:38.88, 1:45.62.
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 – Winner: Tenma ($2.40)
Suncoast (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 8 – Winner: La Cara ($9.20)
Rachel Alexandra (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 15 – Winner: Good Cheer ($2.10)
Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 16 – Winner: Runnin N Gunnin ($13.80)
Cincinnati Trophy (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 21 – Winner: White Rocks ($13.30)
UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 21 – Winner: Queen Azteca
Honeybee (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 23 – Winner: Quietside ($22.40)
Busher (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1 – Winner: Drexel Hill ($12.00)
Davona Dale (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1 – Winner: The Queens M G ($5.80)
Santa Ysabel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 2 – Winner: Maysam ($5.00)
Upcoming Oaks Points Races:
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 23 Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Leaders (thru 3-9-25)
Quietside (68 points)
Drexel Hill (57 points)
La Cara (51 points)
Good Cheer (45 points)
The Queens M G (43.5 points)
Tenma (33 points)
Five G, Muhimma, Amarth, Maysam (25 points)
Eclatant (23 points)
Take Charge Milady, Simply Joking, Runnin N Gunnin, White Rocks, Her Laugh, Running Away (20 points)
Quickick (19 points)
Vodka With a Twist (18 points)
Bless the Broken (17.5 points)
Gowells Delight (16.5 points)
Ballerina d’Oro (16.25 points)
Scottish Lassie (16 points)
Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2025 Contenders (3-9-25)
#1 – Muhimma (Munnings – Princess Carolina, by Tapit) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: Last year’s Demoiselle (G2) winner spent the winter in Florida and was the chalk in her return in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn on Feb. 23. I thought she would make the lead from the rail but Geroux wrangled her back after the two outside runners were sent forward. The two early runners kept to their task and this filly was best of the rest in third. Brad Cox said the Honeybee was a starting point in her first start after a layoff, and she probably needed the race. She breezed a half-mile in 49.20 (47/110) at Fair Grounds on March 7 and is targeting the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland on April 4.
#2 – Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro – Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: This stalking win machine is a perfect 5-for-5. She captured the Rags to Riches and Golden Rod (G2) in 2024, and picked up where she left off in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) vs. three foes on Feb. 15. She returned to the worktab with a half-mile move in 49.80 (87/130) at Fair Grounds on March 1, and breezed four panels in 49.60 (73/117) on March 8. She goes next in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 22.
#3 – Ballerina d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro – In the Moonlight, by Tapit) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: Chad Brown needed to get a race into this one after she got sick and scratched out of the Feb. 15 Rachel Alexandra (G2). She returned in the Davona Dale (G2) and she stalked wide, found her best stride late, and missed the place by a nose. That one-turn mile was a useful prep and she figures to move way up around two turns next time.
#4 – Tenma (Nyquist – Amagansett, by Tapit) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (6)
Comments: She is 4-for-5 with her lone loss a distant show finish in the Oak Leaf (G2). Last year, she won the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Starlet (G2), and she dusted two foes in the Las Virgenes (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 2. She has worked four times since her last start including a 5f move in 1:01.20 (51/86) at Santa Anita on March 9. The Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 5 is her next assignment.
# 5 Pretty Sassy (Medaglia d’Oro – Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) Trainer: Brendan Walsh – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: She exits back-to-back dirt route wins at Fair Grounds and it is time for her to step into the stakes ranks and elevate her game. She breezed a half-mile in 49.00 (16/54) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 27, and picked up the pace in a 5f move in 1:00.40 (2/32) on March 6. The Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 22 is a logical spot.
Next Nine: (6) Quietside, (7) La Cara, (8) Five G, (9) The Queens M G, (10) Drexel Hill, (11) Her Laugh, (12) Simply Joking, (13) Running Away, (14) Quickick
