John Fort’s Mamma Kimbo, who was slated to run in the May 4 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, will instead be pointed to the May 18 Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course.
In place of Mamma Kimbo, Fort will enter grade III victor Sacristy in the Run for the Lilies.
“(Mamma Kimbo) is doing fine, but we just had the feeling that she ran pretty hard in Arkansas,” said Fort of Mamma Kimbo’s 1 1/4-length victory in the April 11 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park. “When you start running horses three weeks apart, it catches up to them. She also doesn’t have a huge foundation; she only has two races.”
Prior to the Fantasy, the Bob Baffert-trained Mamma Kimbo broke her maiden by 5 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita Park Feb. 18. Bred in Kentucky by William Betz, Dr. Chuck Kidder, and Wayne Masterman, Mamma Kimbo is by Discreet Cat, out of the Devil’s Bag mare Bag Lady Jane.
The filly, who has career earnings of $213,600, was purchased for $120,000 by Fort at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale from Betz Thoroughbreds, agent.
“You always want to go where you think you have your best shot and I think (the Black-Eyed Susan) will be our best shot,” said Fort.
Sacristy, who is trained by Wayne Catalano, will enter the Oaks off a second-place effort in the April 15 Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland and will be ridden by Mike Smith in the Oaks.
The filly launched her sophomore campaign with a victory in the Jan. 1 Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park and has career earnings of $154,712.
Named after the room behind the pulpit in the Episcopal Church, Sacristy has a record of 2-3-1 from six starts. She was bred in Kentucky by Elisabeth Alexander and was a $125,000 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga select yearling sale purchase of 2010.
“We all have to question whose going to get the distance and who isn’t, but she’s by Pulpit, so whose to say she won’t get the distance,” said Fort of Sacristy, whose longest race was the seven-furlong Beaumont. “She’s a nice filly and is very sound, fresh, and good right now. She’s earned her way into the race, and we’re going to take a shot with her.”
Fort races both Mamma Kimbo and Sacristy in the name of his Peachtree Stables.
