Wet Paint completes sweep in Fantasy; Affirmative Lady rallies in Gulfstream Park Oaks

Wet Paint went off as the 3-5 favorite after impressive whirlwind finishes in Oaklawn’s first two points races, the Jan. 28 Martha Washington S. and Feb. 25 Honeybee (G3). Both of those came on wet tracks, but the Brad Cox pupil proved every bit as effective on a fast surface in the Fantasy.

Off a beat slow and anchored at the rear, Wet Paint was more than a dozen lengths behind front-running Grand Love early. But the daughter of Blame began to gain ground late on the backstretch, circled most of the field on the far turn, and took charge by midstretch. 

Under regular rider Flavien Prat, Wet Paint scored by a handy 2 1/2 lengths and completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.08. She’d already had 70 points in her account, and with the Fantasy’s 100-point windfall to the winner, Wet Paint is now atop the Oaks leaderboard with 170 in all.

Taxed finished with a flourish for second, worth 40 points, to lift her tally to 48. Olivia Twist, who had been in the thick of contention when Wet Paint sailed by, held third (30 points), and now has 32. Pace-pressing Condensation was relegated to fourth (20 points, doubling her total to 40), and Grand Love faded to fifth (10 points, for a total of 28). Next came Pate, Towhead, Take Charge Briana, Royal Spa, and She’s Lookin Lucky.

Wet Paint has now bankrolled $689,000 from her 6-4-1-0 line. Undefeated on dirt, the Kentucky homebred has lost only on turf and Polytrack. That’s ironic since her dam, the Grade 3-placed Sky Painter, by Street Cry, competed exclusively on turf.

Affirmative Lady had shown promise earlier on the trail, when a close second in the Dec. 3 Demoiselle (G2), but regressed to third in the Jan. 14 Busanda S. over the same Aqueduct strip. Perhaps the gray filly needed time to blossom, like her late sire, Arrogate, because she’s come on strong to win two straight at Gulfstream Park. 

Trained by Graham Motion and ridden for the first time by Luis Saez, Affirmative Lady secured a ground-saving spot just a couple of lengths off the leaders. Flakes (by Frosted) showed the way from her rail post, tracked closely by Infinite Diamond.

Dorth Vader, the Davona Dale (G2) upsetter, was hung out wide on the clubhouse turn but managed to work her way into a stalking third. Turning for home, Dort Vader made her move and tackled Flakes, only to have that longtime leader fight back.

Meanwhile, Affirmative Lady was gathering momentum. After trying to move when Dorth Vader did and finding herself briefly outpaced, she kicked into gear down the stretch and overhauled the battling Dorth Vader and Flakes. The 8.50-1 chance drew two lengths clear, finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.69 and returning $19. Her 100-point haul in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, combined with her points from her minor awards at Aqueduct, gives her a total of 110.

Sacred Wish rallied to get up for second in a three-way photo, and her runner-up effort netted 40 Oaks points in her stakes debut. Flakes fended off Dorth Vader by a neck and picked up 30 points for third. Dorth Vader’s fourth-place result was good for 20 points, for a total of 70. Miracle, the slight favorite at 2-1, wound up fifth, adding 10 points to increase her tally to 30. Infinite Diamond, 2-1 Atomically, and Just Katherine concluded the order under the wire.

Affirmative Lady enhanced her resume to 6-2-1-2, $270,568. It’s a measure of connections’ regard for her that she actually competed in the Demoiselle and Busanda as a maiden. Dropping into maiden company last time out at this track and trip Feb. 26, and adding blinkers, Affirmative Lady rolled to a decisive 2 1/4-length win. 

A $400,000 OBS April juvenile, Affirmative Lady was bred by Alastar Racing Co. in Kentucky. She is out of the multiple stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed Stiffed, by the A.P. Indy stallion Stephen Got Even.