First Samurai’s 3-year-old daughter Miss Sky Warrior continued her hot streak and stamped her ticket for the G1 Kentucky Oaks with a resounding 13-length victory in the G2 Gazelle at Aqueduct Racetrack April 8.
Trained by Kelly Breen for owner/breeder Arlene London, Miss Sky Warrior completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.71 under jockey Paco Lopez. The race marked her fifth consecutive win, four of which are graded stakes. The filly entered the Gazelle off a victory in the G2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 4.
“It was really a powerful performance,” Breen said. “I try not to get in Paco’s head too much. I told him if somebody else goes, you can let her go. She’s rated kindly before and she broke super sharp. He even said that when he came off that she broke really sharp. He said ‘I had to go.’ She relaxed for him and really put up a powerful performance.”
The top four finishers from the Gazelle earn qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks on a 100-40-20-10 format. Kentucky-bred Miss Sky Warrior now ranks second on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 160 points. She has earned $641,590.
Bred in Kentucky, Miss Sky Warrior was produced from the winning Conquistador Cielo mare Sky Minister, who has produced nine other winners.
First Samurai is the sire of G1 winners Lea, Justin Phillip, Executiveprivilege and Sovereign Award champion Stacked Deck. His yearlings last year sold up to $230,000. First Samurai stands for $15,000 at Claiborne.