Wet Paint targets Kentucky Oaks after victory in Martha Washington Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Kentucky Oaks is the goal for Wet Paint following her Saturday win in the $200,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park, but the path she will take to get the filly classic is still to be determined, trainer Brad Cox said on Sunday.
Wet Paint made her stakes debut in the Martha Washington and closed from last for a two-length win under Flavien Prat. She earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 77. Wet Paint came into the 1 1/16-mile race off a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance route on the synthetic track at Turfway Park.
“She came back good,” Cox said Sunday. “We’ll keep her on the dirt for now and make a march towards the Kentucky Oaks. I’m not sure where we’ll land next in regard to a race, but we’re happy with how she came out of it and excited about her moving forward.”
Wet Paint will likely remain at Oaklawn for the immediate future while her connections “come up with a plan in the next week or so,” said Cox.
Wet Paint is a May foal by Blame who races for her breeder, Godolphin. Her second dam, Skylighter, won the Indiana Oaks.
Last year’s Martha Washington winner, Secret Oath, went on to win the Kentucky Oaks.
Defining Purpose was the favorite in this year’s Martha Washington after winning the Year’s End Stakes by more than five lengths last month at Oaklawn. She spotted all but one of her rivals weight Saturday and raced with the pace before finishing third for a Beyer of 72.
“We were a little disappointed that she didn’t kick on,” trainer Kenny McPeek said Sunday. “She scoped with a little bit of mucus. Maybe that contributed.”
McPeek also noted that Defining Purpose carried four more pounds than Wet Paint and five more than runner-up Taxed.
McPeek said Defining Purpose will likely make her next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee Feb. 25 at Oaklawn.
“She’ll be fine,” McPeek said. “That gives us plenty of time. We’re still real pleased with her.”
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