Cathryn Sophia an easy victor in Kentucky Oaks
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Maryland-bred filly Cathryn Sophiawon the $1 million Kentucky Oaks in impressive fashion Friday, putting to rest questions about her ability to thrive at longer distances and highlighting the state’s resurgent breeding industry.
Cathryn Sophiawon her first four career races before dropping to third in the April 9 Ashland Stakes. That race raised questions about her ability to run more than a mile, and trainer John Servis wasn’t even going to enter her in the Oaks untilwould-be favorite Songbird dropped out because of a fever.
“She’smatured so much mentally,” Servis said.
Cathryn Sophiawent off as a 5-1 co-second choice and broke cleanly, sitting in fourth place for much of the race as jockey Javier Castellano patiently waited to make his move. When he called on her to strike fromthe outside, she took the lead decisively and won by an easy three lengths in front of a record Oaks crowd of 124,589.
Owner Chuck Zackney said he and Servis haven’t entirely decided where to point Cathryn Sophia next, but said the June 11 Acorn Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard is most likely.
UncleMo’s legacy strong
Mike Repole tries to visit his favorite equine child at least once a year, but it had been 18 months when he made the hour drive from Churchill Downs to Ashford Stud on Wednesday afternoon.
This year’s Kentucky Derby would be a time to celebrate regardless. Repole’s contender, Outwork, won the Wood Memorial and is a popular choice to upset Nyquist on Saturday. But the bond runs deeper in this case. That’s because Outwork is a son of the horse Repole went to visit— UncleMo.
Repole bought Uncle Mo as a yearling and entrusted him to Todd Pletcher, the New Yorkbased trainer who routinely leadsNorth America in earnings.
The horse was his first and truest love in the sport.
“Listen, he knows me. He gets my scent. He gets my voice,” Repole said. “We spent a lot of time in Ocala, when he didn’t even have a name. A lot of time when he first got to Todd’s barn inMay, before his first 2-year-old race inAugust. I was at every single race. I never spent more time in the barn with a horse than I did with Uncle Mo for 2 1⁄ years. They say you’re
2 supposed to love all your childrenthesame. But he’ll always bemy favorite.”
Repole has had two other horses in the Derby, but Outwork — a horse peaking at the right time, according to Pletcher — appears to give him his best chance to win it.
TheDerby could end up as a battle between Uncle Mo’s sons. He also sired Nyquist and Mo Tom, owned by New Orleans Saints owner TomBenson.