Fool's Paradise gets shot in Summertime Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – The 3-year-old filly division in California has undergone noticeable changes since Fool’s Paradise finished a well-beaten fifth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 7.

Midnight Bisou, who won the Santa Anita Oaks, is now based with trainer Steve Asmussen in Kentucky. Runner-up Spectator will have a New York-based summer campaign.

The absence of those fillies and a few others has led owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Ben Cecil to plan a start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita with Fool’s Paradise.

“That is part of the reason to take a shot,” Cecil said on Wednesday.

The $200,000 Summertime Oaks is run at 1 1/16 miles and had a projected field of six as of Wednesday – Chocolate Martini, Exuberance, Fool’s Paradise, Ollie’s Candy, Thirteen Squared, and Zusha.

Chocolate Martini won the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in Louisiana in March and was fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4. Thirteen Squared and Exuberance were third and fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks.

Fool’s Paradise won an optional claimer at a mile on May 18 for her second win. By Pioneerof the Nile, Fool’s Paradise won a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles on March 23 in her first start around two turns, prior to her stakes debut in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks.

“She ran well the other day,” Cecil said of her optional-claiming win. “I don’t know if it was the strongest race.

“She is improving, and when we ran her in the Santa Anita Oaks it was back too quick.”

The Summertime Oaks field has two other significant absences in Gas Station Sushi and Rayya.

Gas Station Sushi won the Grade 3 Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland on April 8 in her first start of the year and was third in the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 4.

“I’ll back off of her,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “I want to give her more time.”

Rayya was 13th of 14 in the Kentucky Oaks in her American debut. She won the Group 3 United Arab Emirates Oaks in Dubai on March 1 and was second by 18 1/2 lengths to Mendelssohn in the Group 2 UAE Derby against males on March 31. The Kentucky Oaks was Rayya’s first start for trainer Bob Baffert.

Rayya worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Monday at Santa Anita.

“She’s just not right,” Baffert said. “She’s not ready yet.”

Spectator was scratched from Saturday’s Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park after contracting a fever, trainer Phil D’Amato said on Wednesday.

“She’s a finicky shipper,” D’Amato said. “I think the travel on the plane and going to New York was too much. She spiked a temperature.”

Spectator will be based in New York with trainer Michelle Nevin. The Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 4 is a long-term goal.