Condo Commando an early bird for Kentucky Oaks

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said he would like to get Gazelle Stakes winner Condo Commando to Churchill Downs early, possibly in time to put in two workouts over the track in preparation for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks.

“Everybody says it’s important to train over the track, so we’ll try to do that,” Rodriguez said Monday morning. “If we can give her two works there, that would be good.”

Rodriguez did say that Condo Commando “lost some weight” coming out of Saturday’s Gazelle and that he would go easy with her this week.

Puca, the runner-up from the Gazelle, will definitely be pointed to the Oaks, her connections said after the race.

The connections of Gazelle third- and fourth-placers, Money’soncharlotte and Wonder Gal, have expressed interest in running in the Oaks if they can get in. The Oaks uses a points system to determine the field if more than the maximum 14 enter as is expected this year. Money’soncharlotte and Wonder Gal are both on the outside looking in.