Queen of God won for the fourth time in six lifetime starts Saturday when registering a 6-1 upset of the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park on Saturday.
A Road to the Kentucky Oaks series prep contested at 1 mile on the Polytrack, Queen of God rated no more than three lengths off the lead under Irad Ortiz Jr. Making a three-wide bid turning for home, she wore down odds-on favorite Laura’s Light and maintained her lead while drifting out inside the final sixteenth.
“I got a perfect trip, I can’t complain,” said Ortiz. “She broke good, put me in a perfect spot. I was waiting, and when I asked her she responded for me. I changed (my whip) to the right hand and she kind of got out, so I just put the stick away.”
Owned by Winners Circle Racing Stable and trained by Mike Maker, Queen of God returned $15.60 after completing the distance in 1:37.77. Pass the Plate rallied to be second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner. Impeccable Style was third and Laura’s Light weakened to fourth.
As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, the Bourbonette Oaks awarded the top four finishers 20-8-4-2 qualifying points, respectively. However, Queen of God is currently not nominated to the Oaks. Her 20 points will take effect if she is nominated later, while the other point scorers from the Bourbonette Oaks are all nominated.
Queen of God raced exclusively on turf prior to Saturday. Fifth in her debut, she subsequently broke her maiden for a $35,000 tag, and then won a starter allowance. Unplaced in the Ginger Brew S. and in an entry-level allowance, she entered the Oaks off a neck victory in a starter stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 17. Queen of God more than doubled her career earnings here, boosting it to $161,284.
Bred by Respite Farm in Kentucky, the $20,000 OBS juvenile buy was sired by Paynter and is out of Chapala, by Meadowlake.
