Edited Churchill Staff Release – D. J. Stable’s multiple Grade I winner and champion filly Wonder Wheel highlights a cast of 103 3-year-old fillies that were made eligible during the early nomination phase to compete in the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
The 103 fillies became eligible to compete in the 149th Longines Kentucky Oaks with a $200 payment that was due Feb. 18. Three-year-old fillies that were not made eligible at the early nomination deadline can become eligible through a $1,500 payment due by Saturday, April 15. The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks will be staged Friday, May 5.
Wonder Wheel, trained by Mark Casse, made her 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs where she was narrowly defeated by 38-1 longshot Dreaming of Snow. Previously, Wonder Wheel dominated her competition as a 2-year-old with victories in the $175,000 Debutante at Churchill Downs and the $500,000 Alcibiades (GI) and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) at Keeneland.
Other top fillies nominated to the Kentucky Oaks include Peter Redekop’s $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (GI) winner And Tell Me Nolies; Team Equistaff and Winning Stable’s Suncoast winner Dreaming of Snow; Lucky Seven Stable’s $300,000 Pocahontas (GIII) winner Fun and Feisty; Gold Standard Racing Stable’s $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) winner Hoosier Philly; Stonestreet Stables’ $250,000 Demoiselle (GII) winner Julia Shining; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s $150,000 UAE Oaks (GIII) winner Mimi Kakushi; Godolphin’s $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (GII) winner Pretty Mischievous; and Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing’s $125,000 Forward Gal (GIII) winner Red Carpet Ready
