The Fantasy Stakes and Gulfstream Park Oaks were the latest Kentucky Oaks 2025 prep races, and Five G went all the way in the former and Quietside outmaneuvered Simply Joking in the latter. In this report, I will recap those events, update the Oaks points standings, and share my latest top five Oaks contenders.
The Gazelle Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, and Ashland Stakes and are the final three Kentucky Oaks points races.
Gazelle field (April 5): 1 – Late Nite Call, 2 – Ballerina d’Oro, 3 – Vanilla Sundae, 4 – Early On, 5 – Deloraine, 6 – Diriyah, 7 – Pure Beauty, 8 – Liam in the Dust
SA Oaks field (April 5): 1 – Look Forward (10-1), 2 – Silent Law (8-1), 3 – Vodka With a Twist (4-1), 4 – Tenma (1-1), 5 – No Bad Beats (7-2), 6 – Madame Secretary (6-1)
Ashland field (April 7): 1 – Look Forward (20-1), 2 – La Cara (9-2), 3 – Supa Speed (4-1), 4 – Muhimma (9-5), 5 – Running Away (3-1), 6 – Take Charge Milady (8-1), 7 – Amarth (20-1), 8 – Admit (15-1)
I am covering all of the road to Kentucky Oaks prep races on my Runaway Horse YouTube Channel, and through 29 points races, my top choices have 13 wins, 4 runner-up finishes, and 4 show finishes. Two of my top choices scratched, so I am officially 13-for-27 on the road to the Oaks.
In other Oaks news, The Queens M G injured her knee during the running of the GP Oaks on March 29 and has been retired.
The Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland was originally scheduled for Friday, April 4, but with multiple inches of rain in the forecast for the Lexxington, KY area this week, the Ashland card has been moved to Monday, April 7.
Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Race Recaps
Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn (3-29-25): Simply Joking made the running and Quietside pressed from second, and those two had the race to themselves. The were on even terms after six furlongs and battled down the stretch, and Quietside was moving slightly better of the two and scored by 3/4ths of a length. Simply Joking gave it her all from start to finish and was 8 3/4 lengths in front of show finisher Runnin N Gunnin. Princess Em Too, Kinzie Queen, Princess Aliyah, California Sunset, Necessity, and Baytown Butterfly also ran. Jose Ortiz rode the winner for John Ortiz. Fractions: 23.89, 48.09, 1:12.10, 1:37.55, 1:44.31.
Grade 2 GP Oaks at Gulfstream Park (3-29-25): Five G was the favorite and she went straight to the front. Anna’s Promise chased from second and none of the others got seriously involved. Five G stayed clear throughout and won by 2 1/4 lengths. Anna’s Promise never stopped trying and ended up 10 1/4 lengths in front of show finisher Cassiar. Whatintheliteral was another head back in fourth and Paradise City and The Queens M G also ran. The latter pulled up and left the track on the equine ambulance. Manny Franco rode the winner for George Weaver. Fractions: 23.63, 47.11, 1:11.19, 1:36.62, 1:43.22.
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)
Virginia Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 15 – Winner: Fondly ($4.40)
Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 22 – Winner: Bless the Broken ($15.18)
FG Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 22 – Winner: Good Cheer ($2.80)
Fantasy (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29 – Winner: Quietside ($3.20)
GP Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29 – Winner: Five G ($4.60)
Upcoming Oaks Points Races:
Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 7
Top 27 Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Leaders (thru 4-3-25)
Quietside (168 points)
Good Cheer (145 points)
Five G (125 points)
Simply Joking (70 points)
Bless the Broken (67.5 points)
Drexel Hill (57 points)
La Cara (51.75 points)
Anna’s Promise, Fondly, Ahavah (50 points)
Runnin N Gunnin (45 points)
Gowells Delight (41.5 points)
Quickick (34 points)
Tenma (33 points)
Her Laugh (30 points)
Muhimma, Amarth, White Rocks, Maysam, Admit, Early On, Cassiar (25 points)
Eclatant (23 points)
Take Charge Milady, Running Away (20 points)
Vodka With a Twist (18 points)
Ballerina d’Oro (16.25 points)
Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2025 Contenders (4-3-25)
#1 – Muhimma (Munnings – Princess Carolina, by Tapit) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: We will find out if she can retain the top spot on my list when she runs in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on Monday, April 7. She is the Ashland morning line favorite and I am expecting her to move forward in her second start of the year. At first I was disappointed when she finished third as the beaten favorite in the G3 Honeybee at Oaklawn on Feb. 23. That was her first career loss, but that race looks much better now after winner Quietside and runner-up Five G returned to win Grade 2 races last weekend. She has worked four times since the Honeybee including a half-mile move in 47.00 (6/48) at Keeneland on March 28.
#2 – Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro – Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: The Kentucky Oaks favorite won all six of her starts from off the pace. She picked up her first stakes win in the Rags to Riches last October, and captured the Golden Rod (G2) in November, the Rachel Alexandra (G2) on Feb. 15, and the Grade 2 FG Oaks on March 22. She is currently at Churchill Downs and breezed a half-mile in 48.60 (31/68) on April 2.
#3 – Ballerina d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro – In the Moonlight, by Tapit) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: Last year’s Demoiselle (G2) runner-up stretched her legs and just missed the place in her needed return in the Davona Dale (G2) on March 1. That one-turn mile was too short for her and she has breezed three times since that race. She is entered in the Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct on April 5 and is the favorite to win that race at a mile and an eighth.
#4 – Tenma (Nyquist – Amagansett, by Tapit) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: We have not seen this one since she dusted two rivals in the Las Virgenes (G3) on Feb. 2. She has worked seven times since her last start including a half-mile move in 48.20 (20/115) on March 30. She is entered in the Grade 2 SA Oaks on April 5 and is the even money favorite.
# 5 Quietside (Malibu Moon – Benner Island, by Speightstown) Trainer: John Ortiz – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: This filly settled for minor awards in her first four stakes starts. She made the grade in the Honeybee (G3) on Feb. 23, and clicked right back in the Fantasy (G2) on March 29. John Ortiz has this one in peak form heading into the Kentucky Oaks.
Next Nine: (6) La Cara, (7) Five G, (8) Drexel Hill, (9) Bless the Broken, (10) Fondly, (11) Running Away, (12) Simply Joking, (13) Ahavah, (14) Anna’s Promise
