Land Over Sea, Cathryn Sophia, Dothraki Queen work for Oaks

A trio of possible starters for the Kentucky Oaks worked Saturday morning at Keeneland, preparing for a race that is suddenly wide open with the defection of unbeaten champion Songbird earlier this week.

Fair Grounds Oaks winner Land Over Sea, among those now likely to vie for favoritism, worked five furlongs in 1:02.14 on Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch’s watch, going late in the morning over a chewed-up track. The filly was pumped up as she tugged exercise rider Jonny Garcia through the early going.

“She did everything we wanted her to do and did it well in hand,” Steve Rothblum, a member of trainer Doug O'Neill's staff, said. “Couldn’t ask for her to be doing it any better. There are some nice fillies in [the Oaks]. We’re just happy to be going there, and so far, going in the right way.”

Land Over Sea will be on the same schedule as her stablemate, unbeaten Kentucky Derby favorite Nyquist, breezing one more time next Saturday before vanning to Churchill Downs on May 1.

A bit earlier in the morning, the once-beaten Cathryn Sophia worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.61 seconds.

“[Jockey Paco Lopez] said she worked sensational,” trainer John Servis said by phone after conferring with those on site. “He was crazy about it. It was pretty much what I wanted.”

Cathryn Sophia suffered her first loss when third in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. After that race, Servis said he was likely to cut Cathryn Sophia back in distance; when Songbird defected due to a minor illness, however, the filly became an Oaks possibility again.

Another filly now back under Oaks consideration is Dothraki Queen, who went five furlongs in 1:03.20, according to Keeneland clockers. Gary Stevens was up on the Ken McPeek trainee, who would need defections to make the Oaks field.