Taraz cruises in Martha Washington to stay perfect

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Triple Crown-nominated filly Taraz picked up 10 points for the Kentucky Oaks on Saturday, when she won her two-turn debut by 3 3/4 lengths in the $150,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn.

She is now 3 for 3, with her victories coming by a combined margin of 22 1/2 lengths.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her yet,” regular rider Florent Geroux said.

Taraz ($2.20) lost her footing a little at the start, with the ground likely breaking out from under the large filly, but she quickly recovered and quickly assumed command of the mile race that ended at the sixteenth pole. Taraz was up by two lengths through an opening quarter in 23.94 seconds and continued to lead through a half-mile in 47.50 and six furlongs in 1:12.44. She won with her ears pricked, while covering the distance on a fast track in 1:38.64.

“I think she needs some polishing,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She needs to settle down a little bit. I’m happy with what I saw today. She’ll improve off of that.”

Cox said plans for Taraz are to be determined after talking with the team at Juddmonte Farms, which bred and owns the daughter of Into Mischief.

“We’ll talk with the connections and see where we go from here,” Cox said.

Cox said earlier this week that Taraz had been nominated to the Triple Crown.

O Seraphina chased in second throughout and ended up finishing 6 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher High On Gin. Princesinha Julia finished fourth, with the second- through fourth-place finishers earning the remaining Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 4-2-1.

Shedaresthedevil was scratched, making for a four-horse field Saturday.

Taraz earned $90,000 for the win, which improved her career earnings to $192,412. She is out of the Empire Maker mare Silk Route, whose two career wins came over 1 1/8 miles.

Taraz shipped in from Fair Grounds for the Martha Washington, off an 11 1/4-length win in the $75,000 Letellier Memorial there Dec. 21. In her only other start, she won a maiden special weight over 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 14 at Churchill Downs.

American Beauty: Short rest no problem for Special Relativity

Special Relativity wheeled back in a week to win the $125,000 American Beauty by 4 1/4 lengths over Irish Mischief. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Mt. Brave.

Amy’s Challenge, the defending winner making her first start since May, finished fourth after dueling through quick fractions.

Special Relativity ($14) came into the American Beauty off a runner-up finish in the $100,000 Pippin on Jan. 25 at Oaklawn. She was cutting back to six furlongs off that mile start and sat off dueling leaders Amy’s Challenge and Mt Brave, who took the field through an opening quarter in 21.81 seconds and a half-mile in 45.44. Special Relativity overtook those rivals and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:10.91.

Orlando Mojica was aboard for M and M Racing and trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Special Relativity is a 5-year-old mare by Cowboy Cal. She has now won 8 of 26 starts, and the first-place check of $75,000 pushed her career earnings past $500,000. In 2019, she won the Shine Again at Saratoga.

The estimated ontrack attendance Saturday was 14,000.