Fox Hill Farms’ Joyful Victory, who figures to vie for favoritism in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) with R Heat Lightning and Kathmanblu, worked five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 on her own over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs on April 25.
Jockey Gabriel Saez was aboard as the filly went in fractions of :12 1/5, :24, :36, :48 3/5 and out six furlongs in 1:16 2/5.
“It was a good work on this track,” trainer Larry Jones said. “She was just loping along. Gabe thought she went slower.”
Jones had planned to work Joyful Victory in company with graded stakes winner Winslow Homer, who is nominated to the $300,000 Alysheba (gr. III) Presented by Besilu Stables.
“With the track the way it was, I decided not to (work them together),” Jones said. “I wanted to make sure they didn’t pressure themselves into doing too much. They will do something serious Sunday.”
The Canadian-bred daughter of Tapit established herself as a Kentucky Oaks contender when she scored in the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) by 8 3/4 lengths and followed with a seven-length win in the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy Stakes (gr. II). Mike Smith rode the 3-5 favorite to victory and has the mount in the Oaks.