My Miss Lilly secures Oaks berth in Gazelle

Apr 07, 2018 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

A stretch-out to two turns proved helpful to My Miss Lilly, who punched her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with a hard-fought victory in the $300,000 Gazelle (G2) at Aqueduct on Saturday.

Under Joe Bravo, the gray daughter of Tapit made a four-wide bid around the far turn, dueled through the stretch outside Virginia Key and Sara Street, and prevailed over the latter by a half-length to take the 1 1/8-mile fixture in a time of 1:50.42 over a fast track. Virginia Key was a neck behind in third, and it was more than a dozen lengths back to 17-10 favorite Midnight Disguise.

'I think she had [Sara Street and Virginia Key] beat,' Bravo said. 'I don't think she's the kind of filly who is going to want to draw off.'

As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, the Gazelle offered qualifying points of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers. My Miss Lilly's 100 points boosted her total to 112. Sara Street's 40 increased her total to 60, while Virginia Key earned her initial 20 points. Midnight Disguise added 10 to make her total 70 after prior wins in the $100,000 Busanda and $200,000 Busher.

Owned by Courtlandt Farms and trained by Mark Hennig, My Miss Lilly had won on debut going six furlongs at Aqueduct December 23, then finished third in the Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream going seven furlongs and in the one-mile Busher at Aqueduct on March 3. She's now earned $255,400.

'She's a filly we've always been looking forward to getting around two turns,' Hennig said. 'Her dam's side indicates sprint, but she's all Tapit. She's a big long-legged Tapit, just dying to run two turns. We felt like getting around two turns was going to happen for her at a mile and an eighth.'

A $670,000 Keeneland September yearling, My Miss Lilly was bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds and was produced by the stakes-winning Wicked Deed, by Harlan's Holiday. My Miss Lilly is a full sister to Adirondack (G2) winner Just Wicked.

(Chelsea Durand/Adam Coglianese Photography)