Room Service breezes for possible Oaks start

Room Service remains a consideration for the 140th Kentucky Oaks after having a team breeze Thursday at Churchill with her Wayne Catalano-trained stablemate, Aurelia’s Belle. Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard Room Service, who went seven furlongs in 1:28.60.

Having demurred for days, Catalano said afterward he was not ready to decide whether to run Room Service in the Grade 1, $1 million Oaks next Friday, May 2. Room Service, most recently a dead-heat winner of the Grade 1 Ashland over the Keeneland Polytrack for owners Gary and Mary West, has never raced on dirt.

“I’ll talk to the owners and riders and come up with something soon,” he said.

Entries for the Friday card will be drawn Tuesday. The Oaks is limited to 14 starters and can have as many as four also-eligibles on the program.

With Room Service still in, Empress of Midway remains on the outside as the first alternate for trainer Doug O’Neill. Thank You Marylou made the 14-horse lineup Wednesday when New York-based trainer Leah Gyarmati declared Sweet Reason out.

In order of preference, these are the Oaks fillies: Untapable, Sugar Shock, Fashion Plate, In Tune, My Miss Sophia, Rosalind, Room Service, Got Lucky, Aurelia’s Belle, Ria Antonia, Kiss Moon, Fiftyshadesofgold, Unbridled Forever, and Thank You Marylou.

◗ Besides the Oaks, there are two other Grade 1 races for distaffers next weekend at Churchill, albeit for the older set.

The $300,000 La Troienne on Friday is expected to attract Devil’s Cave, Don’t Tell Sophia, Magic Union, On Fire Baby, Unlimited Budget, and probably a few more.

The top name for the $300,000 Humana Distaff on Saturday is Judy the Beauty, with the likely opposition to include Funny Proposition, Heart Stealer, Scherzinger, Speedinthruthecity, Street Girl, and Warm Breeze.

◗ Churchill has moved its racing office into a space behind the paddock tote board after years of being located in an old church near track property. Licensing offices operated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission remain in the church, although those, too, probably will be relocated in the near future, with the building likely to be demolished for better use of the space.

The space now occupied by the racing office formerly was used by the admissions department, which has moved to a different area of the grandstand.