Kentucky Oaks: Arienza, Delightful Mary drop out

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There were three Oaks fillies out for five-furlong works at Churchill Downs Friday morning – er, make that one.

After going in 59.40 seconds, Arienza, the distant runner-up to Joyful Victory in the Fantasy, will opt out of the Oaks in favor of the shorter Eight Belles on the Derby undercard, said trainer Dan Peitz.

Also, Delightful Mary was ruled out by trainer Mark Casse after going in 1:01.60.

“I still don’t think she’s back to the filly we saw last fall,” said Casse. “Plus this is such a tough Oaks this year. We’ll send her back to Canada to regroup.”

The one Friday worker who remains in the race, Bouquet Belle, went in 1:02.20.

One other Oaks work was recorded Friday by longshot Suave Voir Faire, who breezed five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at the Highpointe training center near LaGrange, Ky.

The 137th Oaks still looks like it might get the 14-filly maximum when entries for the Friday race are drawn Tuesday. The likely favorites for the 1 1/8-mile race are R Heat Lightning, Joyful Victory, Kathmanblu, Zazu, and Daisy Devine.

- additional reporting by Byron King