TAPIT’s Pauline’s Pearl secured a spot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Saturday when registering her first stakes victory in the Fantasy Stakes (G3).
A homebred for Stonestreet Stables, the filly was coming into the race off a close second in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) last month. Breaking well from the widest gate in the 1 1/16 mile affair, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was happy to let her run in fourth after going into the first turn a few lengths wide. The filly moved closer to the leader down the backstretch to race into second as they entered the stretch.
Pauline’s Pearl battled with the leader in midstretch then inched ahead before finding another gear to start pulling away. The filly won by a length in the end to earn her first stakes victory in just her second attempt.
Pauline’s Pearl is trained by Steve Asmussen, who also trained her Grade 1-winning dam Hot Dixie Chick.
The dam of three winners from four to race, including multiple stakes winner Union Jackson, Hot Dixie Chick is also a half-sister to Kentucky Derby (G1) and Florida Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming and Grade 2 winner Positive Spirit.
TAPIT is the sire of five stakes winners and 13 stakes horses this year, both putting him among the top three sires on this year’s General Sires List.