Kentucky Oaks Day 2016 Results, Recaps, Photos

Kentucky Oaks Day 2016 Results, Recaps, Photos: Kentucky Derby weekend kicked off with the Kentucky Oaks and Oaks Day festivities on Friday, May 6, 2016. Curalina won the La Troienne Stakes with jockey John Velazquez. Carina Mia and jockey Julien Leparoux won the Eight Belles Stakes. Rocket Heat and jockey Flavien Prat won the Twin Spires Turf Sprint. Majestic Harbor and Brian Hernandez, Jr. pull 13-1 upset in the Alysheba Stakes. Catch A Glimpse and Florent Geroux stayed perfect in the Edgewood Stakes and Cathryn Sophia gave John Servis and Javier Castellano their first Oaks victory! See photo galley below.

Cathryn Sophia wins the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Derby 2016 Results, Payouts, Photo Gallery

Curalina Romps To La Troienne Victory

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Curalina, making her first start since finishing third in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI), took command at the head of the stretch and drew off to post a 7 1/2-length victory over Engaginglee to win the 31st running of the $300,000 La Troienne Presented by Spirited Funds (GI) for fillies and mares.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Curalina covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.45. It was the third victory in the La Troienne for Pletcher, who won with Authenticity in 2013 and Oonagh Maccool (IRE) in 2006. Velazquez’s victory was his second, having won in 2013 with Authenticity.

Angela Renee led the field of six through fractions of :24.44, :48.38 and 1:12.36 with Curalina in closest pursuit. Turning for home, Curalina collared the leader and quickly pulled away.

The victory was worth $184,140 and increased Curalina’s earnings to $1,190,940 with a record of 9-5-2-2. It was the third Grade I victory for Curalina who won the Acorn and Coaching Club of America Oaks in 2015.

Curalina is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin out of the Graeme Hall mare Whatdreamsrmadeof.

Curalina returned $6.60, $4.40 and $2.40. Engaginglee, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $13.20 and $3.80 in finishing a head in front of favored Sheer Drama who paid $2.10 to show under Joe Bravo.

It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Angela Renee in fourth. She was followed in order by Brooklynsway and Penwith.

Carina Mia Overpowers Eight Belles Field

Three Chimneys Farm’s Carina Mia surged to the front at the eighth pole and drew off to win the 61st running of the $200,000 Eight Belles Presented by Big Fish Games (GII) for 3-year-old fillies by six lengths over Blip n’ Th Bye.

Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Carina Mia covered the seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:21.74. It was the second victory in the race for Mott and Leparoux. Mott won in 1993 with Traverse City and Leparoux was victorious in 2010 on Buckleupbuttercup.
The victory was worth $120,280 and increased Carina Mia’s bankroll to $309,760 with a record of 5-3-1-0. Carina Mia is two-for-two at Churchill Downs having also taken the Golden Rod (GII) last fall.

Carina Mia is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Malibu Moon out of the Southern Halo mare Miss Simpatia (ARG).

Carina Mia returned $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10. Blip n’ Th Bye, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $10.40 and $5.20 with Nickname finishing third 1 ¾ lengths back under Javier Castellano and returning $2.60 to show.

Put Da Blame on Me finished another length back in fourth and was followed in order by Summer Reading, Jade Princess, Stageplay and Marquee Miss.

Rocket Heat Singes Twin Spires Turf Sprint Rivals

Mike Sanchez’s Rocket Heat blasted away from the gate in front and never trailed in posting a two-length victory over Alsvid in the 22nd running of the $150,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by TwinSpires.com (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up.

Trained by Vann Belvoir and ridden by Flavien Prat, Rocket Heat covered the five furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :56.47. It was the first stakes victory for Belvoir and Prat at Churchill Downs.

The victory was worth $85,560 and increased Rocket Heat’s earnings to $316,512 with a record of 17-6-5-1. It was the first graded stakes victory for Rocket Heat, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Latent Heat out of the Slew’s Royalty mare Enjoy the Moment.

Rocket Heat returned $19.60, $10 and $6.80. Alsvid, ridden by Chris Landeros, returned $10.20 and $6.20 with defending race champion Power Alert (AUS) finishing 1 ½ lengths back in third under Julien Leparoux and paying $4 to show.

Summation Time finished another nose back in fourth and was followed in order by Guns Loaded, Something Extra, Mongol Bull, Hootenanny and Speightsong (dead heat for eighth), American Sailor, Weast Hill and Latent Revenge.

Majestic Harbor Pulls 13-1 Upset In Alysheba

Gallant Stables’ 8-year-old Majestic Harbor emerged from a three-way scramble at the three-sixteenths pole to become the oldest winner of the $400,000 Alysheba Presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 4-year-olds and up.

Trained by Paul McGee and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Majestic Harbor won by 2 ½ lengths over Eagle in covering the mile and a sixteenth on a fast track in 1:43.10 in the 13th running of the race.

Cat Burglar, ridden by Gary Stevens, led the field of eight through fractions of :24.26 and :48.45 while on an uncontested lead. On the far turn, Majestic Affair and Majestic Harbor loomed up on Cat Burglar’s outside and the trio raced as team into the stretch.

Cat Burglar yielded first and at the eighth pole Majestic Harbor spurted clear of Majestic Affair and was not threatened in the run to the wire.
The victory was worth $240,560 and increased Majestic Harbor’s earnings to $1,246,814 with a record of 41-10-8-6. Majestic Harbor is a Kentucky-bred son of Rockport Harbor out of the French Deputy mare Champagne Royale.

Majestic Harbor rewarded his backers with mutuels of $28.80, $10 and $5.40. Eagle, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $4 and $3 with Majestic Affair finishing third a neck back under Javier Castellano and paying $4.40 to show.

It was another length back to Cat Burglar, who was followed in order by Departing, Top Billing, Natchez and favored Noble Bird.

Catch A Glimpse Stays Perfect On Turf In Edgewood

Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm’s Catch a Glimpse ran her perfect record on grass to six with a half-length victory over Auntie Joy in the 31st running of the $150,000 Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Florent Geroux, Catch a Glimpse covered the mile and a sixteenth on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:42.92. It was the first Edgewood victory for Casse and Geroux and the fourth winner of the day for Geroux.

Born to Be Winner led the field of 12 through fractions of :23.34 and :47.59 with Catch a Glimpse in closest pursuit. On the far turn, Catch a Glimpse surged past the leader, opened a daylight advantage at the head of the stretch and never was threatened the rest of the way.

The victory was worth $86,490 to Catch a Glimpse and increased her earnings to $929,052 with a record of 7-6-0-0. It was the fifth graded stakes victory for the Kentucky-bred daughter of City Zip out of the Irish River (FR) mare Halo River.

Geroux has been aboard for all of the graded stakes victories with the biggest coming in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) at Keeneland.

Catch a Glimpse returned $5, $3.80 and $2.80. Auntie Joy, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $19.60 and $9.20 with Harmonize finishing a half-length back in third under Junior Alvarado and paying $4.40 to show.

Jeremy’s Legacy (IRE) finished another head back in fourth and was followed in order by Ava’s Kitten, Nodiac (IRE), Enjoy Yourself (GB), Adore, Believe in Bertie, Born to Be Winner, Heavenly View and Outsider Art.

Cathryn Sophia Wins The Kentucky Oaks

Cash Is King LLC’s Cathryn Sophia took control at the head of the stretch and went on to post a 2 ¾-length victory over Land Over Sea to win the 142nd running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) for 3-year-old fillies before a record Oaks Day crowd of 124,589.

Friday’s attendance broke the mark established in 2015 of 123,763.

Trained by John Servis and ridden by Javier Castellano, Cathryn Sophia covered the mile and an eighth on a fast main track in 1:50.53. It was the first victory in the Oaks for Servis and Castellano.

Terra Promessa led the field of 14 through fractions of :23.32, :47.87 and 1:12.60 while racing on an uncontested lead as favored Rachel’s Valentina, Lewis Bay and Cathryn Sophia lurked in the second flight.

On the far turn, Lewis Bay moved to the inside of Terra Promessa while Rachel’s Valentina attacked in the three path and Cathryn Sophia moved four wide.

By the time the field hit the top of the stretch, Cathryn Sophia had rocketed to the front and quickly established a daylight advantage and never was threatened in the run to the wire.

The victory was worth $564,200 and increased Cathryn Sophia’s earnings to $859,720 with a record of 6-5-0-1. It was the third graded stakes victory for Cathryn Sophia and the first Grade 1 for the Maryland-bred daughter of Street Boss out of the Mineshaft mare Sheave.

Cathryn Sophia returned $11.40, $5.40 and $3.80. Land Over Sea, ridden by Mario Gutierrez, returned $6.60 and $5.20 with Lewis Bay finishing a neck back in third and paying $4.60 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Go Maggie Go finished another head back in fourth and was followed in order by Mo d’Amour, Rachel’s Valentina,Weep No More, Dream Dance, Paola Queen, Terra Promessa, Royal Obsession, Venus Valentine, Mokat and Taxable.

Kentucky Oaks Photo Gallery May 6, 2016 by Caris Photography: