Weep No More takes longshot act to Kentucky Oaks

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Ashland Stakes was supposed to decide which 3-year-old fillies among Cathryn Sophia, Rachel’s Valentina, and Carina Mia would be the top challengers to Songbird when the 142nd Kentucky Oaks is run May 6 at Churchill Downs.

But as the Ashland went deep in the stretch Saturday at Keeneland, that aspect of the Oaks suddenly got fuzzier, not clearer. Weep No More swept past that tiring trio in the final yards to post a 30-1 stunner, and now fans are left to wonder just how low the Oaks odds on Songbird will go.

Weep No More, owned by Ashbrook Farm, was vanned Monday from Keeneland to Churchill, where she will resume training this week under Jack Bohannan, the longtime assistant to trainer Rusty Arnold. It was Arnold – based primarily at Palm Meadows during the winter – who gave Bohannan a huge shout-out for his hands-on work at Payson Park, where the filly was sequestered for several weeks under a quarantine order that ended in mid-March.

“Jack did just a tremendous job with her,” said Arnold.

While Weep No More and Ashland runner-up Rachel’s Valentina both will point to the Oaks, trainer John Servis said he will shift gears with the previously unbeaten Cathryn Sophia, who was third as the 1-2 favorite. She also will run May 6 at Churchill, albeit in the Grade 2 Eight Belles at seven furlongs.

“She’s probably more effective around the one turn,” said Servis.

Carina Mia, who finished fourth in her first start since winning the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill in November for trainer Bill Mott, remains a strong possibility for the Oaks, said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman for owner Three Chimneys Farm.

“We’ll let Bill evaluate her and make the final call,” said Cauthen.

Meanwhile, Songbird won easily again Saturday in the Santa Anita Oaks, meaning she probably will be lower than her 7-10 odds in the Kentucky Oaks futures pool offered March 11-13 by Churchill.

Madison top three diverge

Sheer Drama and the two Breeders’ Cup winners she defeated in an extraordinarily deep renewal of the Grade 1 Madison on Saturday at Keeneland are all headed their separate ways while remaining in Grade 1 events.

According to their connections, Sheer Drama will stretch out in the La Troienne Stakes on the Oaks undercard, Stopchargingmaria (second) will wait for the Ogden Phipps on the June 11 Belmont Stakes card, and Wavell Avenue (third) will run next in the Humana Distaff on the May 7 Kentucky Derby card.

Each was making her first start since the Breeders’ Cup here last fall, when Stopchargingmaria won the Distaff and Wavell Avenue won the Filly and Mare Sprint.