Paradise Woods now targeting Kentucky Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. - Paradise Woods, who won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks by 11 3/4 lengths Saturday, had a believer in trainer Richard Mandella long before her first start in January.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging, but she’s always made us think she was that good,” he said.

That may sound easy for Mandella to say after such an impressive win in the $400,690 Santa Anita Oaks, except the Hall of Fame trainer insists he had those thoughts before Paradise Woods finished a well-beaten second in her debut Jan. 26.

“She trained like a world-beater going into that race,” he said. “I was surprised she hung the last part.”

Paradise Woods has been more focused in two subsequent wins – a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs March 11 and the Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles, her first start around two turns.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Paradise Woods took the lead at the start of the Santa Anita Oaks and pulled away in the stretch. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 107, the highest for a 3-year-old filly this year.

“She’s really quick naturally,” Mandella said. “Stretching out, it made sense she wanted to show her stuff.”

Owned by Marty Wygod and Steve Sarkowsky, Paradise Woods has earned $283,200 in her three starts.

Paradise Woods started in the Santa Anita Oaks after division leader Unique Bella was declared from the race because of sore shins on March 28. Mandella said his original plan was to start Paradise Woods in Sunday’s $75,000 Santa Paula Stakes, which does not offer qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks.

Paradise Woods is one of three fillies from the Santa Anita Oaks likely to start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5. Abel Tasman, the 9-10 favorite, and It Tiz Well, who finished third, are expected in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at 1 1/8 miles.

Abel Tasman closed from last in a field of seven to finish 2 1/4 lengths clear of It Tiz Well. Abel Tasman will be fitted with blinkers for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks. Jockey Martin Garcia, who frequently works horses for trainer Bob Baffert, and Mike Smith, who rode Abel Tasman, suggested the addition of blinkers.

“Martin said after her last work that she needed blinkers and Mike said the same thing yesterday,” Baffert said on Sunday. “She wasn’t going to beat the winner, but she ran fast enough to get second.”

Abel Tasman had her first start for Baffert in the Santa Anita Oaks, having been previously trained by Simon Callaghan. Abel Tasman won the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos last December and was second to Unique Bella in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes on March 4.

Days after the Santa Ysabel, Abel Tasman was transferred to Baffert by co-owner China Horse Club after a dispute arose over the silks jockey Joe Talamo wore in the Santa Ysabel. Abel Tasman was supposed to wear the China Horse Club silks, but a mixup occurred and she wore the silks of co-owner Clearsky Stable. Abel Tasman wore the China Horse Club silks in the Santa Anita Oaks.

It Tiz Well won the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on March 11. It Tiz Well emerged from the Santa Anita Oaks in good condition, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Hollendorfer said owners Tom and Debi Stull, who race as Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, “would like to go to the Oaks.”