Wonder Gal, Sweet Reason work toward Kentucky stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – The connections of Wonder Gal still would like to run in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks but understand they will need a lot of help to get in.

Currently sitting 20th on the points list, Wonder Gal would need six of the fillies in front of her to defect from the race in order to run. Still, Wonder Gal will be heading to Churchill Downs on Thursday, along with her stablemate, the three-time Grade 1 winner Sweet Reason, who will make her 4-year-old debut in the Grade 1, $300,000 Humana Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard. If Wonder Gal does not get into the Oaks, plan B is the Grade 3, $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes at seven furlongs on the Oaks undercard.

“Seven-eighths is not exactly her deal,” trainer Leah Gyarmati said. “But she can do it.”

Wonder Gal, third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, finished fourth in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 4, her only start of the year.

On Sunday, Wonder Gal worked five furlongs in company with Sweet Reason, the duo’s final local workouts before shipping to Louisville.

Wonder Gal started 1 1/2 lengths in front of Sweet Reason, who, under Irad Ortiz Jr., joined alongside her stablemate at the quarter pole and edged a length clear at the wire. Sweet Reason’s final time was 1:01.78, while Wonder Gal went in 1:02.28. Sweet Reason galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.99 and pulled up seven-eighths in 1:29.14.

“I thought that was awesome, absolutely awesome,” Gyarmati said of Sweet Reason’s move. “It’s like she’s cantering, like she’s not even doing anything.”

Sweet Reason won the Grade 1 Spinaway at 2 and the Grade 1 Test at 3, both at seven furlongs, the same distance as the Humana Distaff. Sweet Reason, who also won the Grade 1 Acorn at a mile, has not run since finishing eighth in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.