Kentucky Oaks works: Untapable has winning look

[bc_video_id:323080:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In Kentucky Oaks developments on Wednesday, odds-on favorite Untapable paid a visit to the starting gate, perhaps in reaction to drawing post 13, while Sugar Shock blew out a quarter-mile down the stretch in 26.25.

The following are impressions of this year’s Oaks field from observations made during training hours over the past 10 days:

Please Explain: Did not see much of this filly, who was entered into the race at the last minute. Her work last Saturday was just average at best.

Ria Antonia: Has trained well here over the past 10 days. Her work April 23 was decent, her drill over a wet track Monday even better as she just skipped over the slop while going easily and galloped out extremely well.

Sugar Shock: Her work April 24 with Calvin Borel up was average, although she did it easily and galloped out willingly enough. Seems to be a filly on the improve.

Rosalind: Has had as good a last 10 days here as anyone in the race save, perhaps, the favorite. She’s shown a high energy level in all her gallops and seems a much stronger filly than when I saw her this winter in Florida. Her only recent work was little more than a maintenance-type half-mile, and she was well in hand throughout. She couldn’t be coming into the Oaks doing any better.

Thank You Marylou: What I’ve seen of her gallops has been good, and her work last Saturday was okay, five-eighths in 1:01 under mild urging with Julien Leparoux aboard. But she’s got to step up her game an awful lot to be competitive in this spot.

Kiss Moon: Has been a little bundle of energy most mornings, running off on a couple of occasions during her gallops, but her last work was a little disappointing. She was rank early and shortened stride during the latter stages of a five-furlong workout, going in fractions of 23 and change and 36 and finishing in 1:01 with little gallop-out.

Fashion Plate: Did all her preparations on the West Coast and was a late arrival from California this week. Consequently, I have not gotten much of a look at her since she got to Churchill Downs.

Aurelia’s Belle: Worked seven furlongs in company with Room Service last week, and while she was the better of the pair, she still had to be asked during the latter stages to complete the distance in 1:28.60, with a final half-mile in 50 and change. She may be better on artificial surfaces than dirt.

Unbridled Forever: She’s looked okay in the morning, and her final prep was not bad, five furlongs in 1:00.80 with a final quarter in 24.54 under some mild pressure. She did switch back to her left lead near the wire and was nothing special during the gallop-out. She seems to handle the local strip well.

Empress of Midway: Lightly raced filly seems to be improving since her arrival in Kentucky, and she impressed with the way she finished and galloped out following her April 25 drill. Moving in the right direction and might be able to run in for at least a minor share.

My Miss Sophia: Once-beaten miss has given no indication she will regress off her career-best effort in the Gazelle. She got the best of fellow Oaks contender and stablemate Got Lucky in their maintenance-type half-mile breeze here last Saturday. She seems to have the best chance of upsetting the favorite.

Got Lucky: She had to be urged some trying to keep pace during the latter stages of a half-mile breeze Saturday with My Miss Sophia and, to her credit, did match strides on the gallop-out. But she seems to be second-best of the Pletcher duo in the Oaks.

Untapable: Nobody has made a more favorable impression among the Derby or Oaks contenders here over the past 10 days than this handsome filly, who has done little wrong in preparation for this event. Her final work last Sunday was a typical maintenance-type half-mile, but she couldn’t had been more impressive. She was just cruising to the wire well in hand, wanting to do more both at the finish and galloping out into the turn. Stands out over this group on both paper and appearance but does not offer much betting value, especially from the outside post.