Gulfstream Park Oaks Offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks Points To Top-Five Finishers

Stakes winner Five G (Gatsas Stables), a dominant winner over the course to kick off her sophomore campaign, returns to Gulfstream Park looking to make the grade against six rivals including three from Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in Saturday's $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

The 55th running of the 1 1/16-mile Oaks for 3-year-old fillies is part of a spectacular 14-race program featuring 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.62 million in purses anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds, one of the country's premier Triple Crown preps. First-race post time is 11:30 a.m. (ET)

Following the one-mile Cash Run Jan. 1, seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) Feb. 1 and one-mile Davona Dale (G2) March 1, the Oaks completes Gulfstream's winter series of stakes for sophomore fillies and offers a total of 200 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. It is carded as Race 9 with a post time of 3:31 p.m. (ET)

Five G led nearly every step of the way to spring a nine-length upset in the Cash Run, which marked a return to the main track after breaking her maiden and running second in the Tepin last fall on the Aqueduct turf. The George Weaver trainee went off at 5-1 that day, finishing up in 1:38.11.

"George said one day that we needed to try her back on dirt and my son said, 'Let's do it January 1st at Gulfstream Park,'" owner Mike Gatsas said. "I was all for it, so we put her back on dirt and obviously she did very well that day. I was at the races and I said, 'Wow.' She was just opening up with every stride and her ears were up. I knew we had a good one right then."

From there, Five G was stretched out around two turns for the second time and first on dirt in the 1 11/6-mile Honeybee (G3) Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park, setting the pace for six furlongs before giving up the lead at the top of the stretch but staying determined through the lane to run second, beaten a length, while finishing 3 ½ lengths clear of third.

"She came out of the 13-hole there and that's a tough post to win from, although the horse that won was right inside her," Gatsas said. "We had to go. We had no choice but to go being that wide. We're hoping that in this race she performs the way she did January 1st."

Rated as the 8-5 program favorite, Five G - named for Gatsas' five grandchildren - owns 25 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, ranking eighth. She drew Post 4 and will be ridden for the first time by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was up for her most recent breeze March 21 at Palm Beach Downs.

"Tyler was really impressed with her," Gatsas said. "I think she's done a lot on the track already. She got beat by a real nice filly last time. We'll take our chances. We'll go to the dance with her, for sure."

C2 Racing Stable and Mathias Stable's multiple graded-stakes The Queens M G heads the Joseph triumvirate. Already with 43.50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, good for sixth overall, she exits a 2 ¾-length triumph in the Davona Dale, her longest race to date. Winner of the 6 ½-furlong Adirondack (G3) last summer at Saratoga, she will be trying two turns for the first time.

The Queens M G began her 3-year-old season finishing third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, in the Forward Gal before her decisive score in the Davona Dale over La Cara, herself a Grade 3 winner who ranks third with 51 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

"We didn't know how she was going to turn out as a 3-year-old because she was so precocious early. You never know if they're going to show that form as a 3-year-old," Joseph said. "We thought the Forward Gal was an encouraging run and she moved forward and won the Davona Dale which was huge for her."

Second choice on the morning line at 9-5, The Queens M G will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons for the third straight race, breaking alongside Five G from Post 3.

"Two turns is a question mark, but the way she handled the mile last time was very good. And the way she trains, I don't think distance should be a problem for her," Joseph said. "I couldn't tell you that she goes to the [Kentucky] Oaks. This is like her Oaks, to see where we're at and get an idea. If she were to win, there is a probability that she'd have to go."

C2, Keuhne Racing, Shining Stables, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch's Paradise City (Post 1, 10-1) will be making her fourth start of the Championship Meet. Second to Five G in the Cash Run, she came back with a six-length optional claiming allowance romp going 1 1/16 miles Jan. 30 at Gulfstream in her two-turn debut. Edgard Zayas will ride.

"We really liked this filly before she ever ran. The first time out she won," Joseph said. "The last time we rode her very differently. We took her back and covered her up, which is unusual for a dirt horse. I thought she ran huge. [It was] a big performance and after that we just decided to go straight to the Gulfstream Oaks. We feel like she is a very talented filly, and hopefully she can duplicate that last run."

C2, Ken Reimer, Braverman, Pinch and Bradley Kent's Early On (Post 2, 15-1), like Five G, has 25 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. A 5 ¼-length maiden special weight winner Feb. 5 at Gulfstream I her fourth start and third for Joseph, she comes back 14 days after finishing second in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs, also at 1 1/16 miles. Edwin Gonzalez gets the call.

Bell Racing's Anna's Promise (Post 7, 4-1) is entered to make her stakes debut off a one-length optional claiming allowance triumph going 1 1/16 miles March 6 at Gulfstream. It was her first race since being claimed out of a maiden victory for $50,000 by trainer Carlos David. She will be ridden by Luis Saez.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, a five-time Gulfstream Park Oaks winner, will send out William S. Farish's Cassiar (Post 6, 5-1). Unraced at 2, the bay daughter of 2019 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner City of Light rallied to capture her Feb. 8 unveiling, a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight by a head at Tampa Bay Downs.

"It's a big jump, but I thought she ran good the first time. I think she's a two-turn horse. She's been training good," McGaughey said. "I think she'll probably break and be laying up close going two turns. It's a big step up, but we'll see what happens."

Dylan Davis has the riding assignment.

Completing the field is horsOlogy Racing and Craig Steinhart's Whatintheliteral (Post 5, 30-1), who broke her maiden with a front-running head decision in the 5 ½-furlong Astoria last summer at Saratoga, her third career start. Winless in five subsequent tries, including a runner-up finish in Gulfstream's one-mile Hallandale Beach last fall, she has Jose Morelos named to ride.

Past winners of the Gulfstream Park Oaks - run as the Bonnie Miss from its 1971 inception through 2010 - include Hall of Famers Inside Information (1998), Open Mind (1989) and Davona Dale (1979); champions Banshee Breeze (1998) and Christmas Past (1982); Kentucky Oaks winner Dispute (1993); Swiss Skydiver, who went on to take the 2020 Preakness (G1) against males; and subsequent Grade 1 winners Power Squeeze (2024), Birdonthewire (2015), Devil May Care (2010), Glitter Woman (1997), My Flag (1996), Charon (1990) and Miss Oceana (1984).

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