Caledonia Road nears return, but won't make Gulfstream Oaks

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Last year’s Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly Caledonia Road continues to progress toward her 3-year-old debut, but trainer Ralph Nicks said he still has no definite plans regarding when or where that might be. Caledonia Road, who has not raced since her convincing victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 4, has had four works at Palm Meadows since returning to training earlier this winter. She fired a bullet half-mile in 48.35 seconds, the best of 35 at the distance, at the training center last Thursday.

“We’re trying not to get ahead of ourselves, but she’s training well,” said Nicks. “Her work the other day was good. So, we’ll see. It’s still too early to tell when she might be ready to come back. Right now the Ashland’s not ruled out, the Beaumont’s not ruled out, and the [Kentucky] Oaks is not ruled out. Everything is still in play.”

One thing is for certain, Caledonia Road will not make the Gulfstream Park Oaks a week from Saturday, which figures to come up a short field. Among those aiming for the race are Coach Rocks for trainer Dale Romans, and the Stanley Gold-trained Blonde Romber, who finished a distant third behind Caledonia Road in the Juvenile Fillies. Both fillies turned in serious preps for the Oaks here over the weekend.

Coach Rocks, owned by Roddy Valente and Rick Pitino’s RAP Stable, is coming off far and away her best effort yet, an eight-length maiden win going 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 14. She zipped five furlongs Saturday with exercise rider Tammy Fox aboard in 59.37 seconds before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.43.

“She worked great the other morning, and with Shug’s filly out it’s a wide open division,” said Romans, referring to trainer Shug McGaughey’s undefeated Fly So High. “Hopefully we can step up and fill a hole there.”

Blonde Bomber worked five furlongs from the 4 1/2-furlong pole in 59.89 on Sunday. She’s finished off the board in both starts since the Breeders’ Cup.

Others expected for the Oaks include Take Charge Paula, runner-up behind Fly So High in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, and the Grade 1-placed Princess Warrior.