Serengeti Empress made all the running to win the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Amoss and jockey Jose Ortiz, overcoming adversity in the process with the filly having suffered serious bleeding issues in the past.
After Amoss sent his athletic daughter of Alternation out in the Fair Grounds Oaks in March his heart was in his throat when she was pulled up midway through the race.
Bleeding significantly after her trip around the New Orleans track, Serengeti Empress was vanned off and Amoss was suddenly faced with the possibility that his plans to point the dark bay towards the Kentucky Oaks were no longer plausible.
Taking a moment to reflect, Amoss decided to do the one thing that has served him well, time and again, since he began training more than 30 years ago – listen to his horse.
Six weeks later, Amoss crossed the track beneath the historic Twin Spires and embraced owner Joel Politi as he hoisted the trophy high in honour of Serengeti Empress, the definitive winner of the 145th running of the Oaks.
“All credit goes to Tom,” Politi said. “I think Tom is the greatest trainer in the world, and I’m ecstatic that he won this race. What we’ve been through emotionally in the last six weeks is a lot of things.
“For us, she’s a really special horse. We were not going to run just to run. We took it day by day, and she’s an incredible athlete. She told us she was fine, repetitively, along the way, and if she wasn’t, both of us were very committed to not running. And, again, every day she showed us that she was fine.”
Although Serengeti Empress was not the favourite in Friday’s field of 14 at Churchill Downs, Amoss was confident the filly would be able to hold her own. But it was not a trip without incident.
Breaking from post 13 under jockey Jose Ortiz, Serengeti Empress immediately sprang clear, but the Churchill Downs crowd collectively gasped when Positive Spirit was squeezed at the start by Jaywalk and clipped heels. The filly stumbled shortly after leaving post 6 and fell, unseating jockey Manny Franco, before springing to her feet and galloping down the stretch.
Jaywalk, who came over from the seven hole, was disqualified to 13th following the race by stewards, who ruled she had taken the path of Positive Spirit and forced the filly over.
As that drama played out in front, Ortiz called on his filly’s natural speed, angled Serengeti Empress inward toward the rail, and established control.
Maintaining a two-length advantage as they reached the six-furlong mark, Serengeti Empress was the target as Liora cut a path between rivals and moved up in a position to challenge.
Straightened for the drive, Liora drew upon all the energy she could muster to chase down the front-runner. But her effort came too late, and Serengeti Empress crossed the finish a length and three-quarters ahead of Liora and jockey Channing Hill.
British rider Sophie Doyle finished sixth aboard Street Band on her first ride in the race and in front of a crowd of 105,719.
The crowd, though down seven per cent on last year, helped fuel a record day of wagering on the 13-race card. The total was $60.2 million, an eight per cent increase on the previous record of $55.8m set in 2018.
The card also featured the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes, won by She’s A Julie, while classy performer McKinzie returned to winning ways in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes.
fonte : RacingPost
