(The Alys Look / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team:

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE

AFFIRMATIVE LADY – AMO Racing USA’s Affirmative Lady galloped a mile early Monday morning at Keeneland under Kevin Lundie for trainer Graham Motion.

    After training, Affirmative Lady was put on a van for the trip to Churchill Downs.

    With a full gate of 14 fillies expected to be entered for the Kentucky Oaks, Motion was asked where he would like to see Affirmative Lady begin her 1 1/8-mile journey.

    “In a perfect world, between the 5 and 10,” Motion said.

 AND TELL ME NOLIES – Peter Redekop’s And Tell Me Nolies, who arrived from Southern California Saturday, had her first trip to the Churchill Downs track Monday, jogging one mile shortly before 8 a.m.

(Wet Paint heads to track / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

BOTANICAL, THE ALYS LOOK, WET PAINT – Brad Cox’s three Kentucky Oaks fillies all went to the track at 7:30 a.m. and schooled in the gate before galloping once around the track.

    Leading the way was Godolphin LLC’s Wet Paint, who figures to be among the favorites off her three impressive, come from behind victories at Oaklawn in the Martha Washington, Honeybee Stakes (GIII) and Fantasy Stakes (GIII).

    “She can make you a little nervous with her running style, but overall she’s just been really consistent, Cox said. “She’ll love the mile and an eighth here. She’s had a great week. Her two works have been fantastic.

    “You can usually tell the half-mile or three-eighths pole, if she’s going to put in her run. If she puts in her run, she’s going to be tough. She’s won her last three going away. She’s been so dominate. She’s won on a wet track. On a fast track. She’s closed on a slow pace and on a fast pace. She just brings it every time.”

    Cox is also happy with what he is seeing from The Alys Look and Botanical.

    “They’re both doing really well,” Cox said. “The Alys Looks is flying under the radar, but I love the way she’s developing.

    “Botanical needs to step up on the dirt, but I like what I am seeing. Physically, she looks great. She’s doing really well.”

DEFINING PURPOSE – The Ashland Stakes (GI) winner followed the same training regimen of her stablemate, Derby candidate Sun Thunder, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

    “She galloped the same distance, a mile and three-eighths,” McPeek said.

   Regular exercise rider Shelby Spalding was aboard the filly, who worked a half-mile on Saturday, timed in :47 for the four furlongs.

DORTH VADER – John Ropes’ Dorth Vader galloped about 1 ½ miles at 7:30 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs and visited the paddock.

(Flying Connection / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

FLYING CONNECTION – Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirbyand Lee Lewis’ Flying Connection galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Oscar Rojero.

    Trainer Todd Fincher plans to add a visit to the starting gate to Flying Connection’s Tuesday itinerary.

    Fincher was asked about a post position draw preference for the Sunland Park Oaks (Listed) winner and the answer came quickly: “I don’t want the 1 or the 14.”

(Gambling Girl / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

GAMBLING GIRL/JULIA SHINING – Repole Stable’s Gambling Girl and Stonestreet Stables’ Julia Shining both went trackside during Monday morning’s special Derby/Oaks training session between 7:30 and 7:45 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

    Gambling Girl, the Dialed In filly who is assured a spot in Friday’s 149th edition of the Kentucky Oaks, hadCarlos Quevedo in the irons, while Julia Shining, a daughter of Curlin, was handled by Humberto Zamora. The latter isn’t likely to make it into the Oaks field and will await better opportunities further down the road.

    Both fillies galloped about a mile and three eighths on a brisk morning in Louisville. Later they were brought over from the backside to paddock school around 10:15.

   MIMI KAKUSHI – Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Mimi Kakushi under stable rider Xavier Ziani jogged a mile alongside a pony and then galloped a mile.

    The UAE Oaks (GIII) winner had walked Sunday after a half-mile work in :50.40 on Saturday.

    “I am very happy with her,” trainer Salem bin Ghadayer said, then alluding to this afternoon’s Post Position Draw, “I’d like to be in the middle; hopefully not inside.”

   PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS – Accompanied by trainer Brendan Walsh on pony, Rachel Alexandra-winner Pretty Mischievous made the short walk from Barn 9 to the track at 7:30 a.m. Keeping to her routine, theGodolphin homebred carried her regular exercise rider Albino Martinez one mile and a half across the fast track.

    “I’m very happy with her,” Walsh said. “It’s nice to have one in (the Kentucky Oaks) again and give it a go. Everything seems to be going smoothly enough.”

    In 2017 Walsh trained the Oaks filly Wicked Lick, homebred by Lee Mauberret, who finished thirteenth to Abel Tasman. Similar to Pretty Mischievous, Wicked Lick finished second in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) in her final prep before the first Friday in May.

 PROMISEHERAMERICA – After arriving at Churchill Downs safely on Sunday night, Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin’s Promiseher America settled in to Barn 42 on the backside. Accompanied by assistant trainer Rodrigo Montecino, the Gazelle-winner spent the morning taking in her surroundings and walking the shedrow. Trainer Ray Handal is scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon.

(Southlawn / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

SOUTHLAWN – Robert Masterson’s Southlawn had a 1 ½-mile gallop Monday morning for trainer Norm Casse.

    “I can’t find any reasons why she can’t win,” Casse said. “She’s ready, I’m ready.”

WONDER WHEEL – After galloping one mile and a half on Sunday, the 2-year-old champion filly Wonder Wheel had a walk day. With light rain and cold winds blowing through Louisville at her regular morning training time, D.J. Stable’s filly stayed dry as she stretched her legs over the shedrow.

    “She’ll be back out to gallop tomorrow morning at 5:45 a.m.,” assistant trainer David Carroll said.

ALSO-ELIGIBLE – Taxed (No. 15), Julia Shining (No. 16) and Hoosier Philly (No. 17) are all expected to enter the Kentucky Oaks as also-eligibles.