#mopotism

Nice to see Mopotism back in the winner’s circle in the G2 La Cañada Stakes 

2017 Kentucky Oaks Field

1. Ever So Clever 20-1

Medaglia D’Oro x Foxy Danseur (Mr Greeley) May 17, KY S Asmussen / L. Contreras 3-1-1 (8)  $377,850

Ever So Clever earned her way into the Oaks with a win in the G3 Fantasy, where she defeated fellow Oaks contender Vexatious. The Fantasy was her best effort, but she has some back class from last year when she was 3rd in the G2 Golden Rod & 2nd in the G2 Pocahontas.

Pedigree note: Her dam is a stakes winning sprinter/miler

(photo: Coady Photography/Brisnet)

2. Lockdown 20-1

First Defence x Rising Tornado ( Storm Cat) Feb 14, KY W Mott / J Ortiz 2-2-0 (4) $168,000

Lockdown is pretty lightly raced, running twice last year and twice this year. She contested 2 Oaks preps this year, winning the Busanda back in January then finishing 13 lengths behind top contender Miss Sky Warrior in the G2 Gazelle after a bobbled start. 

Pedigree note: She’s a full sister to Close Hatches, the 2014 Eclipse Champion Older Female (photo: NYRA/Paulick)

3. Mopotism 20-1

Uncle Mo x Peppy Rafaela (Bernardini) Jan 24, KY D O’Neill / M Gutierrez 2-2-1 (7) $189,000

Mopotism just barely made it into the field with only 16 points to her name - only 5 more than AE Summer Luck. She’s been knocking heads with the big fillies on the West Coast, finishing 2nd to Unique Bella in the G2 Las Virgenes, 4th behind Paradise Woods in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks. Last year she was 3rd behind Abel Tasmen in the G1 Starlet. 

Pedigree note: Her dam is a half-sister to G2 winner Songster

(photo: Coady Photography/KY Derby)

4. Paradise Woods 5-2

Union Rags x Wild Forest (Forest Wildcat) Apr 7, KY R Mandella / F Prat 2-1-0 (3)  $283,200

Just after Unique Bella was ruled out of Oaks contention, Paradise Woods exploded onto the scene and take over the top spot of the West Coast. She went into the Santa Anita Oaks off of an easy maiden win at 5 1/2 furlongs, and ran away with from the G1 field by 11 3/4 lengths. 

Pedigree note: She’s a half-sister to stakes winner Forest Chatter. Her dam is a half-sister to G3 winner Tajaaweed. 

(photo: PotroRobPhotos)

5. Jordan’s Henny 30-1

Henny Hughes x Sophiano (Rubiano) Apr 13, KY M Tomlinson / J Rocco Jr. 1-3-3 (9) $120,135

It took Jordan’s Henny 7 tries to break her maiden, but her people must have been confident in their filly; they entered her in the G2 Pocahontas in only her 3rd start as a maiden. After breaking her maiden in December, she finished only 1/2 a length behind Miss Sky Warrior in the G2 Davona Dale and was a solid 3rd in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks behind Salty and Tequelita. 

Pedigree note: Her dam is a half-sister to stakes winner Florida Keys

(photo: Videohipco / Imgrum)

6. Vexatious 20-1

Giant’s Causeway x Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer) Apr 9, KY N Drysdale / K Desormeaux 1-0-4 (5) $124,160

Vexatious has only run 5 times, but she’s raced at 4 different tracks - Santa Anita, Del Mar, Fair Grounds & Oakloawn Park. Her only win came against maidens - every other time she’s run has been a 3rd place finish. Her thirds include the G2 Fair Grounds where she missed 2nd by just a nose & G3 Fantasy Stakes - where she missed 2nd by only a neck. 

Pedigree note: She is a full sister to G1 Belmont winner Destin & G1 winner Creative Cause

(photo: Robin Buchanan)

7. Farrell 5-1

Malibu Moon x Rebridled Dreams (Unbridled’s Song) Mar 11, KY W Catalano / C Hill 5-0-1 (7) $601,357

She’s only the co-third, but Farrell has been nothing short of a winning machine - including a win in the G2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs as a 2yo. As a 3yo she’s run the table with the Fair Grounds path to the Oaks - aka the path 3 of the last 5 Oaks winners used - with dominant wins in the Silverbulletday, G2 Rachel Alexandra, and G2 Fair Grounds Oaks. 

Pedigree note: She is a half-sister to G1 winner Carpe Diem, G1 winner J.B.’s Thunder, & G2 winner Semper Fortis

(photo: Hodges Photography / Paulick)

8. Sailor’s Valentine 30-1

Mizzen Mast x Sortilege (Tale of the Cat) Mar 25, KY E Kenneally / C Lanerie 2-2-0 (6) $359,214

Until winning the G1 Ashland, Sailor’s Valentine struggled to hit the board in listed company. But then the stars aligned and she pulled of a 1/2 length win in the 100pt prep - holding off fellow Oaks longshot Daddys Lil Darling. 

Pedigree note: Her great-grand dam was the record-setting G1 winner Coup de Fusil. 

(photo:Coady Photography / Brisnet)

9. Wicked Lick 30-1

Maclean’s Music x Here Music (Dehere) Apr 3, KY B Walsh / B Hernandez Jr 1-4-0 (8) $162,228

The only race Wicked Lick has won was her second start back in Sept. of her 2yo season, going 1mile on the grass. Despite the low number of wins, she’s held her own on the Oaks trail, twice finishing 2nd to Farrell at the Fair Grounds. 

Pedigree note: Her dam is a half-sister to G2 winner Noble Moon

(photo: Eclipse Sportswire / HRN)

10. Miss Sky Warrior 9-2

First Samurai x Sky Minister (Conquistador Cielo) Apr 1, KY K Breen / P Lopez 5-0-0 (6) $641,590

Miss Sky Warrior has been an East Coast monster. After breaking her maiden in her second start, she has done nothing but win - often big. Her stakes scores include the G3 Tempted, G2 Demoiselle, G2 Davona Dale and the G2 Gazelle. Her Gazelle win was especially breathtaking; she ran 8 other fillies off their feet and cruised home by 13 lengths.

Pedigree note: Her siblings tend to be durable horses. She has half-siblings who’ve run in 72, 34, 59, & 42 races. 

(photo: NYRA / Paulick)

11. Tequilita 20-1

Union Rags x Sangrita (Mr Greeley) Mar 28, KY M Matz / L Saez 3-3-0 (7) $288,540

Tequilita has been a consistent little filly. After taking a few tries to break her maiden, she finished up her 2yo season with a listed stakes win, then kicked off her 3yo season with a win in the G2 Forward Gal - where she defeated G1 winner Pretty City Dancer. She comes into the Oaks off a solid 2nd place finish to Salty in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Pedigree note: Her grand-dam Alvear is a half-sister to the late, great Dynaformer and the dam of top sire & G1 winner Offlee Wild

(photo: Lauren King / HRN)

12. Daddys Lil Darling 20-1

Scat Daddy x Miss Hot Salsa (Houston) Mar 28, KY K McPeek / J Leparoux 2-3-0 (8) $464,365

Darling was one of the big names in the 2yo filly division last year. She won the G2 Pocahontas and finished a solid second in the G1 Alcibiades before running a decent 4th in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and finished the season with a second in the G2 Golden Rod behind Farrell. She started this year with a very unimpressive 6th on the grass in the G3 Florida Oaks, but bounced back to be second when switch back to dirt in the G1 Ashland. 

Pedigree note: She’s a half-sister to G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mongolian Saturday

(photo: Coady Photography / Twinspires)

13. Abel Tasman 5-1

Quality Road x Vargas Girl (Deputy Minister) Mar 12 B Baffert / M Smith 3-2-0 (6) $347,860

Abel Tasman has not been a lucky filly this year. After closing out last year with a win in the G1 Starlet, capping a 3-race win streak. But then she made her 3yo debut against a monster in Unique Bella. Tasman gave Bella all she could handle, but just wasn’t good enough to win. Then, after Bella was out, Tasman looked like a no-brainer in the Santa Anita Oaks. Alas. Not only did she have to overcome a bad start and a bad trip, Tasman ran into yet another monster in Paradise Woods. She still made a big move to get second, but couldn’t compete with the winner. 

Pedigree note: She’s a half-sister to G3 winner Sky Girl. Her dam Vargas Girl is a half-sister to a really nice broodmare Moonlight Sonata

(photo: Benoit / KY Derby)

14. Salty 6-1

Quality Road x Theycallmeladyluck (Dixie Union) Feb 3, KY M Casse / J Rosario 2-1-0 (3) $180,370

Salty is in much the same boat as Paradise Woods. Both fillies broke their maidens at second asking, then came right back to win the big 100pt prep race in their region. Salty didn’t just win the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, she won with impressive style - rolling from near last to first and drawing away by daylight.

Pedigree note:  Her grand-dam Vegas Prospector was a G3 winner

(photo: Lanes End)

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AE. Summer Luck 30-1

Lookin At Lucky x Seasonal (Deputy Minister) Mar 21, KY J Rosario / J Castellano 1-1-2 (6) $99,500

Mopotism worked 4 furlongs in 48.80 for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Lakerball (on the rail) worked 4 furlongs with Mopotism for trainer Doug O’Neill.  Mopotism clocked at :48:40 and Lakerball in:49:20.  The gray behind them is Parsimony, also training with Doug O’Neill.

Mopotism before she worked in tandem with Pavel for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Mopotism (on the rail) worked 4 furlongs in :50:20 for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Mopotism (outside) worked in tandem with Ralis Monday morning for trainer Doug O’Neill.  Both went 5 furlongs, with Mopotism going in 1:00:20, and Ralis went in 1:01:40

Term of Art and Mopotism

Term of Art worked outside of Mopotism on Wednesday morning, both going 6 furlongs.  Term of Art got the bullet in 1:12:80, and Mopotism worked in 1:13:00.  Both are trained by Doug O’Neill.