Beguine nominated to Kentucky Oaks, needs defections to make field
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Fantasy runner-up Beguine has found herself on the bubble for the Kentucky Oaks after the latest round of preps, but her connections are proceeding as if she will draw into the filly classic that has a field-size limit of 14.
Trainer Dan Peitz said Tuesday that owner Charles Matses has made Beguine eligible for the Kentucky Oaks by paying a late nomination fee to the race. The $1,500 fee is due Saturday. Peitz also said plans are to send Beguine, who is based at Oaklawn, to Churchill Downs.
“I’m going to ship a week from today,” Peitz said. “I’m going to take her up there to Churchill Downs. Right now, the plan is to get up there and get a couple of breezes over the track.”
Beguine earned 40 points for the Kentucky Oaks for her effort in the Fantasy, when she was beaten a neck by Yuugiri on April 2 at Oaklawn. Since the race, there have been more major preps for the Kentucky Oaks, and the latest leaderboard from Churchill Downs suggests Beguine might need three or four defections to get into the filly classic on May 6.
“We’re a little further out than I thought we were going to be points-wise,” Peitz said. “We’re just going on to Churchill and act like we’re going to get in and see what happens.
“If it’s meant to be, it will happen. If it’s not meant to be, we’ll find another spot.”
Peitz said his stable normally would be based at Churchill after Oaklawn, so the situation is not a disruption to Beguine’s schedule.
“Everything is good with her,” he said. “She came out of the race great.”
Beguine was making her first start against winners in the Fantasy, following a maiden special weight route win at Oaklawn. She went hoof-to-hoof with Yuugiri in a riveting stretch drive and for the effort earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
“She learned something,” Peitz said of Beguine. “She might have got a little intimidated down on the inside. The other filly came in and bumped her. I thought she was going to grind this filly down. She was just steady getting there, closer and closer, and right when she got there, the other filly kind of came over and bumped us a little bit – maybe just enough for an inexperienced horse to intimidate her a little bit.
“But the fact that she settled behind horses was all positive. When she broke her maiden, she just kind of galloped around there on the lead, did everything her own way. So, she was going to have to overcome something [in the Fantasy], and she showed that she can.”
Beguine is a daughter of Gun Runner. Her name represents a specific type of dance, Peitz said.
“There was a big band song from way back called ‘Begin the Beguine,’ ” Peitz said. “Cole Porter had a version of it I like.”
It’s a throwback name, Peitz said.
“Her owner, Mr. Matses, is from a different generation,” he said.
Matses, 95, also is the breeder of Beguine. Peitz said one of the longtime owner’s top horses was Miss Indy Anna, a Grade 2 winner at Churchill Downs for trainer Ed Allard.
Perhaps there is another big win awaiting Matses this year at Churchill.