The Ashland Stakes at Keeneland was the final Kentucky Oaks 2025 prep race on Monday, April 7, and La Cara went straight to the front and never looked back in that event. In this report, I will recap the Gazelle, Santa Anita Oaks, and Ashland Stakes, update the Oaks points standings, and share my latest top five Oaks contenders.
I covered all of the road to Kentucky Oaks prep races on my YouTube Channel, and my top choices had 15 wins, 4 runner-up finishes, and 5 show finishes. Two of my top choices scratched, so I was officially 15-for-30 on the road to the Oaks.
Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Race Recaps
Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct (4-5-25): Vanilla Sundae set sail for the early lead and Early On and Deloraine chased. Post time favorite Ballerina d’Oro was in a perfect spot saving ground in fourth, and she cruised up outside around the final turn, and it looked like she would cruise to an easy win. As soon as she got to the fore, she lugged in and failed to switch leads, and her rider Dylan Davis got her straightened out and she ended up defeating Early On by a nose. Deloraine was another 5 3/4 lengths back in third, and a weakening Vanilla Sundae was another 10 1/2 lengths back in fourth. Pure Beauty and Diriyah also ran. Late Nite Call and Liam in the Dust scratched. Fractions: 24.10, 48.36, 1:12.66, 1:37.75, 1;50.67.
Grade 2 SA Oaks at Santa Anita Park (4-5-25): Tenma was the strong favorite and she had to work for this one. No Bad Beats briefly dueled with Silent Law but was done early, and the latter shook loose after a half-mile. Vodka With a Twist chased inside and Tenma worked her way outside to stalk the pace on the backstretch. Silent Law was the boss turning for home and Tenma came after her stablemate, gained a short lead, and gradually pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths at 30 cents on the dollar. Silent Law was 6 lengths clear of Vodka With a Twist, and that one was well clear of Madame Secretary. No Bad Beats eased in the lane and walked off. Juan Hernandez rode the winner for Bob Baffert and she punched her ticket to Louisville for the Kentucky Oaks. Fractions: 22.85, 46.38, 1:11.03, 1:38.96, 1:46.15.
Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland (4-7-25): La Cara had a sharp break from post 2 and was up a length through the opening quarter. Look Forward was sent up from the inside post after a slow start, and she tried to come after La Cara but she could not keep pace. Muhimma took up the chase. She stalked inside and was keen to go, and she tried to make a race of it at the top of the stretch but La Cara still had run and remained clear. Ground saving closer Take Charge Milady was a fresh challenger in the lane but there was no catching La Cara, and she won by a length and a quarter. Take Charge Milady was clearly second best in a nice rebound effort, and Muhimma was a clear third. Supa Speed, Amarth, Look Forward, Admit, and Running Away rounded out the order of finish. Dylan Davis rode the winner for Mark Casse. Fractions: 23.19, 47.23, 1:12.50, 1:38.23, 1:45.10.
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)
Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5 – Winner: Ballerina d’Oro ($3.40)
SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5 – Winner: Tenma ($2.60)
Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 7 – Winner: La Cara ($20.16)
Top 20 Kentucky Oaks 2025 Points Leaders (thru 4-10-25)
1 – Quietside (168 points)
2 – La Cara (151.75 points)
3 – Good Cheer (145 points)
4 – Five G (125 points)
5 – Ballerina d’Oro (116.25 points)
6 – Tenma (108 points)
7 – Early On (75 Points)
8 – Take Charge Milday (70 Points)
9 – Simply Joking (70 points)
10 – Bless the Broken (67.5 points)
11 – Drexel Hill (57 points)
12 – Muhimma (50 points)
13 – Fondly (50 points)
14 – Ahavah (50 points)
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15 – Anna’s Promise (50 points)
16 – Runnin N Gunnin (45 points)
17 – Gowells Delight (41.5 points)
18 – Vodka With a Twist (36.75 points)
19 – Amarth (35 points)
20 – Quickick (34 points)
Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2025 Contenders (4-10-25)
#1 – Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro – Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: Brad Cox’s 6-for-6 filly figures to be a solid favorite in the Kentucky Oaks. She is 3-for-3 under the Twin Spires and won both graded starts at Fair Grounds this year including the FG Oaks (G2). She breezed a half-mile at Churchill Downs on April 2, and went five panels in 1:00.40 (5/32) on April 9.
#2 Quietside (Malibu Moon – Benner Island, by Speightstown) Trainer: John Ortiz – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: She is on a serious roll for John Ortiz. After settling for minor awards in her first four stakes starts, she turned the corner in the Honeybee (G3), and picked up her second stakes victory in the Fantasy (G2). She is in peak form and is getting faster. She raced at Churchill once last year and landed the place behind Good Cheer in the Golden Rod (G2).
#3 – Ballerina d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro – In the Moonlight, by Tapit) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: I was expecting a strong effort in the Gazelle (G3). She got a great trip as the favorite and appeared to be on her way to a big victory, but she lugged in, failed to switch leads, and just did prevail by a nose. She has raw ability and plenty of stamina, but she needs to run faster and cannot afford to make any mistakes in the Kentucky Oaks.
#4 – Tenma (Nyquist – Amagansett, by Tapit) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: Ran her record to 5-for-6 with a solid if unspectacular victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2). The versatile four-time graded stakes winner needs to run faster to compete for a top award in the Kentucky Oaks.
#5 – Muhimma (Munnings – Princess Carolina, by Tapit) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: She drops out of the top spot after back-to-back show finishes in the Honeybee (G3) and Ashland (G1). The top two Honeybee finishers were next-out stakes winners, but Muhimma did not follow suit in the Ashland. She was in a good stalking spot at Keeneland but raced evenly just like she did in the Honeybee. The feeling here is that she is most comfortable setting the pace. She reminds me a bit of her male counterpart East Avenue. Her best chance in the Oaks is probably to get out there and play catch me if you can.
Next Nine: (6) La Cara, (7) Five G, (8) Drexel Hill, (9) Bless the Broken, (10) Fondly, (11) Take Charge Milady, (12) Simply Joking, (13) Ahavah, (14) Early On
