C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio carries the OBS banner into the 148th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs. The colt by Race Day, trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr., will break from post 15 and be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, aboard for his wins in Gulfstream’s Florida Derby (G1) and Holy Bull Stakes (G3).

    He’ll be right at home at Churchill Downs, where he was third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) after winning his first two starts at Gulfstream Park. He was a 4 1/2 length winner of the Holy Bull in his 3-year-old debut, and comes into the Derby off a length and a quarter score in the Florida Derby. Now 5-4-0-1, he has earned $823,650. A two-time OBS graduate, he was sold by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, at the 2020 Winter Mixed Sale and then purchased for $40,000 out of the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2021 March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. 

    Four OBS graduates have been first in the Kentucky Derby: Lil E. Tee (1992), Silver Charm (1997), I’ll Have Another (2012) and Medina Spirit (2021).

    Five OBS graduate fillies will go to the post in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, looking to join previous OBS Oaks winners Blind Luck (2010) and Plum Pretty (2011).

    Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds’ Hidden Connection sports a victory over the Churchill Downs surface, having captured the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) last September, and comes into the Oaks off a nose loss to champion Echo Zulu in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Reylu Gutierrez has the mount for trainer Bret Calhoun, and the daughter of Connect will break from post three. Now 5-2-1-0, she has earned $399,525. She’s a two-time OBS graduate, going through the ring at the 2021 Spring Sale, then purchased for $85,000 out of the Coastal Equine consignment at the 2021 June Sale after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5. 

    H & E Ranch’s Desert Dawn comes into the Oaks off a victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) in April. She’ll be saddled by trainer Philip D’Amato, and be ridden by Umberto Rispoli from post nine. The daughter of Cupid, third in Santa Anita’s Chandelier Stakes (G2) at two, has compiled a 7-2-0-2 record and has earned $378,400. Consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent for H & E Ranch, she went through the ring at the 2020 OBS October Selected Yearling Sale.

    Winngate Stables’ unbeaten Kathleen O. will break from post 10 and be ridden by Javier Castellano, who has been aboard in all of her starts. The daughter of Upstart comes into the Oaks off a 2 3/4-length victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) after winning Gulfstream’s Davona Dale (G2) in her graded stakes debut. She’s four-for-four for trainer Shug McGaughey, seeking his second Oaks victory, and has earned $379,730. A two-time OBS graduate, she was sold by Stuart Morris at the 2020 October Selected Yearling Sale, then purchased for $275,000 out of the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the 2021 Spring Sale after working an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. 

    Trainer Kenny McPeek sends out Dixiana Farms LLC’s Cocktail Moments, second to Oaks favorite Nest in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes (G1) in her last start and third in Gulfstream’s Davona Dale (G2) in March. Corey Lanerie rides the daughter of Uncle Mo, who will start from post 11. Now 4-1-1-2 with $214,560 in earnings, she was consigned to the 2021 OBS March Sale by Eddie Woods, Agent, where she went through the ring after breezing a quarter in :21 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. 

    KHK Racing’s unbeaten Shahama makes her first start in her native country after four wins in as many starts at Meydan, the last a two- length score in the UAE Oaks (G3). The daughter of Munnings, a half-sister to champion Lookin At Lucky, has earned $223,484. Now trained by Todd Pletcher, she will break from post 13 with Flavien Prat in the irons. Consigned to the 2021 OBS April Sale by Eddie Woods, she was purchased for $425,000 after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :21 flat. 

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