California fillies look to re-establish greater presence in Kentucky Oaks
ARCADIA, Calif. – The most accomplished 2-year-old filly in California last season is aiming to a Grade 1 that was once a natural. But over the past decade, the spring target for And Tell Me Nolies has become a reach for a West Coast 3-year-old filly.
“Obviously, the Kentucky Oaks is our goal,” trainer Peter Miller said. “With her pedigree, and with the distances increasing, I would think [the Oaks] would be in her wheelhouse.”
It makes sense. And Tell Me Nolies, by Arrogate, won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and Grade 2 Chandelier at Santa Anita before finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. After a five-week freshening, And Tell Me No Lies is back working at San Luis Rey Downs.
“She’s grown and filled out,” Miller said. “She’s a little taller, and seems a little more relaxed than she was last year. She’s going to get ready quick.”
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A pair of Grade 3 routes on Feb. 25 – the Honeybee at Oaklawn and Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita – will be her first comeback options.
However, the question facing And Tell Me Nolies and every California filly – is she good enough for the Kentucky Oaks? California fillies won 10 of 21 Oaks from 1991 through 2011, before it slowed to a trickle. Since then, only one California filly won the Oaks, Abel Tasman in 2017. Desert Dawn finished third last year at 50-1.
The California road to Kentucky resumes Saturday at Santa Anita, where the one-mile, Grade 3 Las Virgenes is expected to include Grade 1 Los Alamitos Starlet winner Faiza, whose trainer Bob Baffert is currently banned from Churchill Downs, and Justique, who is unproven around two turns. Others expected in the Las Virgenes are Pride of the Nile, Uncontrollable, Satin Doll, and Broadway Girls.
A new leader could emerge in the Las Virgenes, Santa Ysabel, or Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 1. By then, And Tell Me Nolies will have reclaimed divisional leadership or a late-bloomer will have emerged. This preview includes Santa Anita-based comebackers and up-and-comers, led by a Richard Mandella-trained Curlin filly who scored a flashy debut victory Jan. 6. Coffee in Bed won with a 77 Beyer Speed Figure and galloped out super.
“She’s always been one of our best fillies, but she had a little bit of a tender shin, so we kept her works easy,” Mandella said, which partly explains her $40.80 payoff.
Coffee in Bed is nominated to the Las Virgenes; Mandella also trains Las Virgenes nominee Ice Dancing, who won the low-rated seven-furlong Grade 3 Santa Ynez on Jan. 8. There are others.
Ruby Nell ran super in her debut for Mandella on Jan. 22. The $1.2 million Bolt d’Oro filly was shuffled in the turf sprint, lost position, and finished well for second. Ruby Nell is very good.
Teena Ella, the Mandella trainee produced by Beholder, will switch surfaces after disappointing in dirt sprints.
“I’m going to try her on the turf,” Mandella said. “She’s by War Front, and we’ve had that feeling [she might prefer turf]. In the afternoon, she’s given me a half-mile and then comes apart a little bit. I’m thinking maybe the turf will keep her together.”
Llorona, an unraced Mendelssohn filly whose dam produced 2021 champion juvenile male Corniche, has resumed working for Mandella. “We had her ready to run [in August] at Del Mar, but she shin-bucked. She acts like she’s all right.” Llorona is just starting back.
Getthemoney crushed maidens by more than five lengths with a 77 Beyer in September at Del Mar, then had a minor splint issue. Brian Koriner trains the Midnight Lute filly, who is ready to run, with no entry-level allowance race in sight. “I’m in no-man’s land,” Koriner said, noting the lack of allowance options.
Absolutely Zero, a Nyquist filly who beat the boys in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity in June, recently posted her initial three-furlong comeback breeze and is part of a deep roster of fillies trained by Doug O’Neill. Vegas Magic won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes in summer at Del Mar and returns later this year. Ceiling Crusher, runaway maiden winner in June, is nearing a comeback for O’Neill, whose Las Virgenes nominees are Pride of the Nile, Broadway Girls, and Satin Doll.
Procrastination is a Not This Time filly trained by Michael McCarthy who won her debut by eight lengths in July, finished second in the Sorrento, then was sidelined. She is back working and could be a top sprint filly this year.
“She’s pretty fast,” McCarthy said. The trainer plans to start Uncontrollable in the Las Virgenes.
Stone Silent, by Adios Charlie, won her career debut in the Fasig-Tipton Debutante in June, earning a 78 Beyer before minor surgery to remove a small knee chip.
“She’s come back strong, breezing really well,” trainer John Sadler said. Her return could be at Santa Anita or Oaklawn.
Sadler recently acquired Ancient Peace, a War Front filly who crushed a maiden turf route Dec. 30 at Santa Anita, then sold at auction for $650,000. A spring comeback is likely.
Zilkha, sired by Candy Ride and produced by Zenyatta, is in light training with John Shirreffs. She worked twice last year, then stopped with filling in a hock.
“She’s like a yo-yo,” Shirreffs said. “Go a ways, then we have to stop. Go, stop.”
Zilkha currently is galloping; Shirreffs plans to enter Justique in the Las Virgenes.
Conquistar, a Quality Road filly trained by Baffert, is close to her debut. Based on her workouts, she will be well-meant first time out. Her career debut could be in early February.
Sweet Trouble is a Phil D’Amato-trained Into Mischief filly begging for two turns after a third and second in sprints. She was the only entrant recently in a maiden dirt route that did not fill. Sweet Trouble is nominated to the Las Virgenes.
“I could run her in the stake, as a maiden, just so I can run her long,” D’Amato said.
Curl Girl, also trained by D’Amato, finished fifth of 10 in her sprint debut last summer. “She’s a nice Curlin filly, she’s coming back and training really well. She’ll definitely want to go long.”
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