My Miss Lilly wins Gazelle, stamps ticket to Kentucky Oaks

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of My Miss Lilly didn’t feel that their filly had a clean trip when she finished third in the Busher Stakes here last month and believed she was deserving of another chance to show that she could be a Kentucky Oaks candidate.

On Saturday at Aqueduct, My Miss Lilly took advantage of that second chance, getting a clear, albeit wide, trip under Joe Bravo and outfinishing a stubborn Sara Street to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Gazelle Stakes by a half-length. It was a neck farther back to Virginia Key in third.

Midnight Disguise, the Busher winner and 8-5 Gazelle favorite, finished a well-beaten fourth and was promptly removed from Kentucky Oaks consideration by her connections. Mo Shopping and Smokinpaddylassie completed the order of finish.

My Miss Lilly’s victory for owners Don and Donna Adam and trainer Mark Hennig helped make up for disappointing performances a week ago at Gulfstream Park turned in by Strike Power (Florida Derby) and Cache (Gulfstream Oaks).

“I’m in a little bit better mood this week,” a smiling Hennig said in the winner’s circle.

In the Busher, My Miss Lilly seemed to encounter traffic at every turn under Manny Franco. With that in mind, Hennig asked Bravo to keep My Miss Lilly in the clear if possible.

Bravo had My Miss Lilly in fourth early, three to four wide and within 3 1/2 lengths of the modest pace set by Sara Street and pressed by Mo Shopping. The opening half-mile went in 48.32 seconds.

Leaving the half-mile pole, Bravo had My Miss Lilly four wide and on the move, and approaching the quarter pole, she was on even terms with Sara Street and Virginia Key as Mo Shopping retreated.

The trio ran in a line from the quarter pole to inside the sixteenth pole before My Miss Lilly edged away. My Miss Lilly, a daughter of Tapit, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.42 and returned $7.90 as the 5-2 second choice.

“Today, I thought it was important to keep her out in the clear, and that’s what I told Joe: ‘I don’t want a repeat of what happened last time,’ ” Hennig said. “She had to go a little wide coming off the turn. I was worried that might catch up to her late. I feel like she’s going to relish more and more distance. Like Joe said, it felt like she could have run around there again. She was very strong.”

My Miss Lilly earned 100 qualifying points toward the May 4 Kentucky Oaks, and Hennig said she most likely would head that way.

For the second straight race, Sara Street ran a game second. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who is already pointing Take Charge Paula to the Kentucky Oaks, said he would talk with the team from Godolphin Racing before deciding whether Sara Street would move on to the Oaks as well.

By virtue of her victories in the Busher and Busanda stakes, Midnight Disguise had enough qualifying points to get into the Oaks. She ran a flat fourth in the Gazelle under Trevor McCarthy.

“I think we’d be more inclined to stay home,” said trainer Linda Rice, who noted that she and owner William Wilmot agreed, “we don’t need to take her to Kentucky off that effort.”