LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two successful classic sires – including one of the most successful stallions in the modern history of the Kentucky Oaks – are among those whose progeny should not be bothered by the expected wet track for Friday’s filly classic. Morning-line favorite Nest, runaway winner of the Ashland Stakes, is by Curlin and out of an A.P. Indy mare, the same pedigree cross that produced 2021 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat. Curlin could certainly handle a wet track himself, winning in the bog of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth, and his progeny can do the same – Exaggerator won multiple Grade 1 races, including the 2016 Preakness Stakes, in the slop.  Curlin’s son Connect won his maiden on a muddy, sealed racetrack before going on to become a Grade 1 winner. That young stallion is the sire of Oaks entrant Hidden Connection – who has already won at Churchill Downs – from his first crop.  Meanwhile, Gazelle Stakes winner Nostalgic is by Medaglia d’Oro, one of the winningest sires in the last half-century of the Kentucky Oaks. Since 1970, five other stallions have sired two winners of the filly classic – Sir Ivor, Deputy Minister, Seattle Slew, the latter's son A.P. Indy, and Proud Citizen. Medaglia d'Oro joined the group by siring Rachel Alexandra, who went on to win the Preakness, in 2009 and Plum Pretty two years later.  Medaglia d’Oro has another point in his favor for this Oaks, as it has often been borne out that the Churchill Downs main track can play kindly to turf-type horses, particularly when it is wet. Consider, for example, the third-place finish by Paddy O’Prado, a turf Grade 1 winner, in the 2010 Derby on a sloppy, sealed track.  Medaglia d’Oro is an equally high-quality sire with both dirt and turf horses, with his standouts on the latter surface including international champion Golden Sixty, Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Talismanic, Juvenile Fillies Turf winner New Money Honey, and Grade/Group 1 winners Astern, Coffee Clique, Marketing Mix, Mshawish, and Vancouver.  :: Get Derby Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team to access exclusive insights from the morning workouts Curlin has sired fewer major turf winners, but the son of versatile sire Smart Strike is certainly capable. His turf graded stakes winners include Current, Diversy Harbor, Moulin de Mougin, and Texas Ryano. Turnerloose, who has been training on the muscle, is a stakes winner on turf, while Candy Raid won the Bourbonette Oaks on synthetic. Both are from versatile sirelines that have multiple representatives in the Oaks. Turnerloose is by Nyquist, a son of Uncle Mo – sire of not only that Derby winner in Nyquist but an outstanding turf horse in Golden Pal, among others. Uncle Mo is represented in the Oaks by Cocktail Moments – whose dam, River Maid, was a Grade 2 winner on synthetic.  Candy Raid is by the versatile Candy Ride, a Grade/Group 1 winner on both dirt and turf during his career. Candy Ride, in turn, is the sire of Gun Runner, represented in this Oaks by unbeaten champion Echo Zulu from his first crop.  As noted, the sireline of A.P. Indy, from the Seattle Slew branch of the Bold Ruler line, has been extremely successful in the Kentucky Oaks. It is well-represented again this year.  The unbeaten Kathleen O. is by A.P. Indy’s grandson Upstart – and out of a mare who was stakes-placed on turf. Goddess of Fire is by A.P. Indy’s son Mineshaft, while Desert Dawn is by the great sire’s great-grandson Cupid. Cupid is a son of Tapit, sire of 2014 Oaks winner Untapable and the grandsire of 2018 Oaks winner Monomoy Girl.