Kentucky Oaks: Crazy Beautiful, Millefeuille work at Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Crazy Beautiful and Millefeuille finished first and second in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Oaks four weeks ago. On Saturday, they were the only two 3-year-old fillies on the grounds to put in workouts for their next meeting in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

While Crazy Beautiful went an easy half-mile in 49.34 seconds by herself, Millefeuille went a quick five furlongs in 59.48 seconds, according to Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch, with a final quarter in 23.82 seconds. Millefeuille went in company with Obligatory, who is targeting Friday’s Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill.

Bill Mott, Millefeuille's trainer, said he was looking for a sharp work from the daughter of Curlin owned by Juddmonte Farms.

“We needed something over the track to see if she likes it; she seemed to like the track,” Mott said.

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Millefeuille has only a maiden win to her credit. However, she did finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length, to Malathaat in last year’s Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct. Malathaat, coming off a Grade 1 Ashland victory three weeks ago, is the potential Oaks favorite.

Mott said Millefeuille’s seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Davona Dale is too bad to believe, so he’s just throwing it out. He saw an improved effort from her in the Gulfstream Oaks.

“She came back and ran a credible race off a really bad effort, so you would think she would improve a little bit,” Mott said.

Trainer Ken McPeek said he wasn’t looking for much Saturday morning from Crazy Beautiful following a five-furlong move in 59 seconds last Saturday.

“Her work last weekend was kind of an eye-opener even for me that she worked that well,” McPeek said. “He was just holding her together and she clicked off a 59. This week she didn’t need much, and I told him to tone it down and give her a nice maintenance breeze.”

McPeek said exercise rider Danny Ramsey jumped off Crazy Beautiful and said “ 'they won’t beat her.' He’s the eternal optimist.”

Maracuja works at Belmont

Maracuja, second to Search Results in the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct on April 3, worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track.

Under exercise rider Christian Gaete, Maracuja worked outside of her 3-year-old stablemate Horn of Plenty

Trainer Rob Atras said he was happy enough with the work that Maracuja will board a van Sunday at 2 p.m. from Belmont and ship to Churchill for the Oaks.

“I didn’t think she was going that fast, she looked like she was doing it quite easily and even galloped out nice after the wire,” Atras said.

Maracuja, a daughter of Honor Code, has just one win from four starts to her credit. But the 88 Beyer Speed Figure she earned in the Gazelle puts her in the mix.

“She ran second to a really nice filly in her first start around two turns,” Atras said. “I know she’ll have to improve, but with the way she’s gone through her last two races I’m hoping she’ll take the next step up.”

A full field of 14 is expected to be entered Monday for the Oaks. The runners include Search Results, Travel Column, Crazy Beautiful, Pauline’s Pearl, Malathaat, Clairiere, Will’s Secret, Millefeuille, Moraz, Ava’s Grace, Pass the Champagne, Maracuja, and Competitive Speed and Coach.