2022 Ashland Stakes Replay & Reaction | Nest Dominates, Earns Kentucky Oaks Berth

The track press release:

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s Nest swept past Interstatedaydream at the top of the stretch and drew off to post an 8¼-length victory in the 85^thrunning of the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies to highlight the opening day of the 15-day Keeneland Spring Meet. 

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Nest covered the mile and a sixteenth on a muddy main track in 1:44.16. The victory is the second in the race for Pletcher, who won last year with eventual champion Malathaat. Pletcher, Keeneland’s all-time leader in stakes victories with 60, becomes the fourth trainer to win the race in consecutive years. 

With the victory, Nest earned 100 points and locked up a starting position in the gate for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 6 at Churchill Downs. The Oaks is limited to the top 14 point earners that pass the entry box and with 120 points, Nest sits comfortably in third. 

Cocktail Moments rallied to edge Interstatedaydream by a nose for second and picked up 40 points for finishing second, a total that ranks 10^th on the leaderboard. Interstatedaydream earned 20 points for finishing third, good for 18^th place, and Awake At Midnyte added 10 points to boost her Oaks total to 24 to be 14^th on the list. 

Interstatedaydream led the field through fractions of :24.24 and :48.82 while being tracked by Happy Soul with Awake At Midnyte and Nest lurking just behind the top two. The leaders remained unchanged going into the far turn but were quickly joined by Awake At Midnyte in the three path and Nest, who was four wide. 

The leading quartet was reduced to a duo nearing the head of the lane. By the time the field turned for home, it was a one horse race with no one doubting the outcome. 

Nest, a Keeneland sales graduate, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood. Now a winner of four of five career starts, Nest added $358,050 to her bankroll and increased her earnings to $623,050. 

Favored in the field of eight, Nest returned $5.40, $3.80 and $2.60. Cocktail Moments, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $7 and $3.60 with Interstatedaydream paying $2.40 to show under Florent Geroux. 

It was another 2¾ lengths back to Awake At Midnyte with Sterling Silver, Happy Soul, Miss Mattie B and Heavenly Hellos following in order.