Miracle heads Pletcher duo in Gulfstream Park Oaks

Mar 29, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Todd Pletcher will pursue a record-tying fifth win in the Kentucky Oaks
(G1) on May 5, and the Hall of Fame trainer will be well-represented pair of
top contenders in Saturday’s $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), a major
qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series awarding points on a 100-40-30-20-10
basis to the top five finishers.

Eight fillies are entered, and here are three talking points
for the 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks at 5:15 p.m. (ET).

1. Miracle favored
at 5-2, Atomically the 7-2 second choice

After placing in multiple New York-bred stakes last year, Miracle was transferred to Pletcher
over the winter and the Mendelssohn filly opened her three-year-old season with
a commendable second in the Feb. 18 Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds, setting the pace
before grudgingly giving way by three-quarters of a length to Pretty Mischievous.

The Gulfstream Park Oaks did not attract much early speed,
and Miracle looks formidable on the front end with Irad Ortiz Jr.

Stablemate Atomically
merits respect in her second start back from a layoff, finishing third as the
favorite in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) last out. A romping juvenile
stakes winner at Saturday’s distance, the Florida-bred daughter of Girvin figures
to appreciate the added ground. Jose Ortiz retains the mount.

2. Two-turn
test for Davona Dale upsetter Dorth Vader

Dorth Vader
surprised at 46-1 when making her fist graded attempt in the March 4 Davona
Dale (G2) at Gulfstream, tracking the pace in second before drawing
off by nearly five lengths. She concluded 2022 with back-to-back stakes wins,
but was overlooked in the Davona Dale following an uncharacteristic sixth as
the favorite in the Gasparilla S. at Tampa Bay Downs in mid-January.

Her last effort at a one-turn mile can’t be dismissed, but Dorth
Vader finished a well-beaten third in lone two-turn appearance. All four career
wins have come at one-turn distances, but trainer Michael Yates is confident
Dorth Vader will handle the stretch out with jockey Miguel Vasquez.

3. Last-out
maiden winners, rebound candidate

Affirmative Lady
owns stakes experience, finishing second in the Demoiselle (G2) and third in
the Busanda while winless, and the Graham Motion-trained Arrogate filly will
return to stakes competition off a confidence-builder, breaking her maiden convincingly
in late February.

Sacred Wish is
another last-out maiden winner of note, graduating by a stylish four-length
margin at Oaklawn Park on March 4, and the daughter of Not This Time has been pegged
at 9-2 for her stakes debut. George Weaver takes over training duties and Javier
Castellano rides.

After getting bet down to 7-2, stakes winner Infinite Diamond failed to fire
checking in fourth in the Davona Dale. She appears capable of better in the
second start off the freshening. Joel Rosario takes over the reins.