© Benoit Photo
The unbeaten pair of Songbird and Cathryn Sophia are among the 112 three-year-old fillies that have been nominated to the 142nd Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), to be held at Churchill Downs on May 6th, 2016.
Songbird won the Eclipse award as champion two-year-old filly of 2015 after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and two other grade I races. She opened her 2016 campaign with an easy win in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita and is expected to run in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) on March 5th.
Cathryn Sophia did not draw as much attention in 2015, but won her first two starts in easy fashion before bursting into the Kentucky Oaks picture with a 5 1/2-length win in the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park. On February 27th, she brought her record to a perfect 4-for-4 with an even easier seven-length romp in the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream.
Other prominent nominees to the Kentucky Oaks include Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) winner Carina Mia, Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) winner Gomo, Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) winner Lewis Bay, Frizette Stakes (gr. I) winner Nickname, the unbeaten Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III) winner Off the Tracks, the unbeaten UAE 1,000 Guineas winner Polar River, Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) winner Rachel’s Valentina, and Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) winner Venus Valentine.
The complete list of Kentucky Oaks nominees can be viewed here. Celebrate the announcement of the nominees by viewing this slideshow of Kentucky Oaks contenders!
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