Everland surprises in Bourbonette Oaks, now eyes Kentucky Oaks

Trainer Eric Foster didn’t claim Everland for $30,000 last Dec. 30 thinking he was going to be running her in the Kentucky Oaks five months later.

But a start in the $1.5 million Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 3 is now on the agenda after Everland rallied along the rail in the stretch under Abel Cedillo to post an 11-1 upset in Saturday’s $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park. Everland defeated second-time starter Winnable by 1 1/4 lengths. It was a half-length back to Alpine Princess in third.

Youknownothing finished fourth, followed by Movin’ On Up, Band of Gold, Trial, Maxisuperfly, Saratoga Secret and Pink Polkadots, the 2-1 favorite.

The victory earned Everland 50 qualifying points toward the Oaks. She now has 54 points following a fourth-place finish in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway on March 1.

In the Cincinnati Trophy, Everland finished behind Maxisuperfly, who is also trained by Foster. Maxisuperfly set the pace in Saturday’s Bourbonette Oaks, but was overtaken by Winnable around the far turn. When Maxisuperfly moved off the rail turning for home, that left an inviting opening for Cedillo to guide Everland - who started from post 10 - on through. Cedillo had tried to get over to the inside entering the first turn, but was parked wide. He eventually got Everland to the rail entering the second turn.

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Winnable seemed to idle when she was alone by herself before re-engaging when horses came to her on the outside.

The Bourbonette Oaks was just the fourth career stakes win for Foster, whose lone graded victory came in the Grade 3 Dueling Grounds Derby with Kitodan in 2022.

“It’s just exciting to win,” Foster said. “I tell everybody we’re still happy to win a $5,000 claimer. To win these bigger races … Of course we’re going to run in the Oaks, and I’m excited about that, but I’m just so excited to win this race.”

Everland, a daughter of Arrogate, covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.36 and returned $24.10 to win. Everland is owned by Brooklyn Foster’s Foster Family Racing, William Wargel, Rebecca Eckrich’s Eckrich Racing and Sidney Karma’s Maxis Stable.

Eric Foster said he will most likely train Everland up to the Oaks.

Winnable earned 25 points toward the Oaks, but she is not yet nominated to the race. She can be supplemented for a fee of $1,500 by April 10 or could be supplemented for a $15,000 fee at entry time.

Okiro, Trikari win Turfway stakes

Earlier, the undercard of the Jeff Ruby and Bourbonette offered both sprint and route stakes options for 3-year-olds, with Okiro winning the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes and Trikari taking the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes, respectively.

Joe Shiesty, coming off an allowance-optional claiming win at Turfway, hustled out toward the inside of the field and had opened a wide lead through a blistering opening quarter of 21.82 seconds. He still held a sizable lead turning into the stretch, but his strides began to falter as Smokey Smokey, who had been intently pursuing in second, reeled him in. That colt captured the lead, but was quickly set upon by the late closers, with Okiro ($19.82), who had started awkwardly, and Julien Leparoux arriving on the scene late and surging by for a 2 1/4-length win.

The time for the six furlongs was 1:09.80.

Shards, making his first start since finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November, also poured it on late to catch Smokey Smokey in a dead heat for second. Favored Valentine Candy, who had won three straight stakes but was trying synthetic for the first time, never seriously threatened while fourth.

This was the third win from seven career starts for Okiro, trained by Jose Garoffalo for Yutaka Enterprises Corp. The son of Yoshida was stakes-placed on Gulfstream Park’s synthetic track last year, and took to the Tapeta at Turfway.

“I was pretty confident, because the first day the horse hit the track, he loved it,” Garoffalo said. “And I give a lot of credit to Julien, because he did a great job.”

Animal Kingdom’s trainer, Graham Motion, presented the trophy for the 2011 Derby winner’s namesake race, and then one race later, saddled a stakes winner, as Trikari ($10.82) took the Rushaway.

The pace complexion of the Rushaway changed when multiple stakes winner Neat was scratched. Then Twirling Point, who was expected to be on the engine, broke awkwardly and was near the back into the first turn. That left Tireless on the lead, tracked by Trikari, with his ears pricked under Umberto Rispoli, to coast to an opening quarter in 24.84 and the half in 49.73.

The field bunched up, with the race appearing wide open in the stretch as Trikari emerged between foes for the lead. He held off Footprint by a neck at the wire, with Twirling Point, who was very wide, another neck back for a creditable third.

Trikari, making his stakes debut in his fourth career start, finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.79.

- additional reporting by Nicole Russo

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