Quietside sizzled in her last major workout for the Fantasy Stakes (G2), covering five furlongs in :59 3/5 the morning of March 16 at Oaklawn Park under Ramon Vazquez.
Quietside's time was the fastest of 26 published at the distance, with clockers catching her galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven furlongs in 1:26 4/5. The track was rated fast.
"It was a strong five-eighths," trainer John Ortiz said, describing the work. "We'll come back next week and give her a maintenance (half-mile). She did it really well today."
Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn March 23 for the $750,000 Fantasy Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile event that is Oaklawn's final major prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Thorpedo Anna swept both races in 2024 en route to Horse of the Year honors.
The Fantasy will offer 200 total points (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies. Quietside tops the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 68 points.
Sunday's work was Quietside's second since a breakthrough victory in the $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23 at Oaklawn.
Although Vazquez, among Oaklawn's leading riders this season, was aboard Quietside for the first time Sunday, Jose Ortiz will retain the mount for the Fantasy. The Fair Grounds-based Ortiz rode Quietside for the first time in the Honeybee.
"He did us a favor," John Ortiz said, referring to Vazquez. "I wanted to make sure we did everything correctly. We didn't want to put on a show with me or anything. He's a jock and he knows what he's riding. I wanted all the proper attention to this filly."
Ortiz was aboard for Quietside's previous work, a half-mile move in :48 March 8. Quietside went in company with stablemate Spankerboom.
Ortiz said Quietside will have her final breeze for the Fantasy March 23.
"Just a maintenance half," Ortiz said. "Obviously, she's more than fit. She showed how talented she is last time. The growth continues."
The Honeybee marked the first career stakes victory for Quietside, a homebred for Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable. Anthony is the winningest owner in Oaklawn history. Quietside had previously finished second in the $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course, third in the $600,000 Alcibiades Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland, second in the $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs, and second in the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 25 at Oaklawn.
Quietside is by the late Malibu Moon out of Benner Island, a grade 2-winner for Shortleaf. Overall, Quietside has a 2-3-1 record from six lifetime starts and earnings of $552,200.
The Honeybee was the record-tying 39th career Oaklawn stakes victory for Anthony. The late John Franks, a four-time Eclipse Award winner as the country's outstanding owner, also has 39 career Oaklawn stakes victories, the last coming in 2000.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
