HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Power Squeeze continued her ascension in the 3-year-old filly division running by a troubled-trip Ways and Means to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Oaks by one length at Gulfstream Park. The win was the fourth consecutive for Power Squeeze and assured her a spot in the Kentucky Oaks on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Ways and Means could also show up in the Oaks if the 50 points she earned for finishing second are enough to get into the field of 14. For as well as Power Squeeze ran, so did Ways and Means who got bumped going into the first turn, made an early move to the leaders, and tired late. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Power Squeeze added the Gulfstream Pak Oaks to victories in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa in February and the Cash Run at Gulfstream on New Year’s Day at Gulfstream. “So far this is her best race, one of my best races too,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “Hopefully, she comes back the way she was before the race.” Under Daniel Centeno, Power Squeeze raced up close to the pace, sitting behind what became four horses vying for the lead – Into Champagne, Fiona’s Magic, Gun Song, and Ways and Means. Fiona’s Magic was the first to retreat and Power Squeeze advanced along the inside as Ways and Means, three wide under Irad Ortiz Jr. crept up outside Into Champagne and Gun Song. Turning for home, Ways and Means made the lead, in her first start since a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway last Sept. 3, but “stayed a little even,” Ortiz said, while Power Squeeze ran by her. Centeno said he kept Power Squeeze close to the pace entering the first turn to avoid getting shuffled back early in the race. Down the backside, Power Squeeze settled nicely behind the speed before he asked her to run. “After that it was a really good trip,” Centeno said. “The farther she goes, I think she’s going to get better. She was against better horses today and I think she proved a lot from last time.” Power Squeeze, a daughter of Union Rags owned by Lea Farms, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.19 and returned $24 to win. Power Squeeze was assigned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92. “She takes a minute to start going, the track is a little tricky going two turns, it’s the first [finish line], she didn’t have much time to get there,” Delgado said. “He had to time it just right and he did everything right to win the race. Ways and Means was sent off the 1-2 favorite off a dominant maiden win last August at Saratoga and a solid second-place finish in the Spinaway, where she was injured and off for six months. Ways and Means got bumped when Do Gooder came out a path entering the first turn. Ortiz put Ways and Means in the clear down the backside and she dragged the rider to the leaders. After making the lead turning for home she couldn’t see out the race while finishing 5 3/4 lengths clear of Into Champagne. “She ran really well, I think without the layoff, she could have probably encountered trouble like that and still had enough to [win],” trainer Chad Brown said. She had a lot to do today and when you add the trouble on the first turn and the wide trip it maybe took just enough out of her to get caught by the wire.” Brown said if Ways and Means comes out of the Oaks and good order and has enough qualifying points to get into the race “that’s where we’ll be,” Brown said. Into Champagne earned 25 points for her third-place finish and, like Ways and Means, also has 50 qualifying points. Following Into Champagne in the order of finish Saturday was Gun Song, Scalable, Do Gooder, America’s Vow, and Fiona’s Magic. Neo City was eased by Joe Bravo and did not finish the race. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.