Crazy Beautiful’s Class Prevails In Gulfstream Park Oaks

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Crazy Beautiful‘s class prevailed as she rallied from last to easily defeat her rivals in Saturday’s $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

Crazy Beautiful broke from post 3 under Jose Ortiz as the 2/1 second choice and trailed the field of seven 3-year-old fillies as the 6/5 favorite Con Lima shot out from the rail to set the early tempo.

With Bow Bow Girl giving closest watch, Con Lima posted opening fractions of :24.16, :48.69, and 1:13.08 but weakened as she came under pressure in the far turn.

Millefeuille got the first jump on Con Lima and led at the top of the stretch, but Crazy Beautiful was flying from the back and picking off her foes with ease.

Tackling the new leader near the 1/8 pole, the Kenny McPeek-trained Crazy Beautiful drew off to win the 1 1/16-mile fast dirt route by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:44.41.

“I just wanted to sit there and make sure she got into a good rhythm on the backstretch and she did,” Ortiz said. “I saved some ground on the first turn and I saved some ground on the second turn. Kenny told me that she was a nice filly, so I rode her with confidence.”

Millefeuille was 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Competitive Speed, who edged Con Lima by a 1/2-length for third.

Pens Street, Bow Bow Girl, and Len Lo Lady completed the order of finish.

The Gulfstream Park Oaks is part of the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Oaks prep race season. Crazy Beautiful earned 100 points for the win, with Millefeuille receiving 40 for second, Competitive Speed 20 for third, and Millefeuille 10 for fourth.

Crazy Beautiful’s win was her first since last August’s Debutante Stakes victory at Ellis Park and improved her overall record to 7-3-3-0 with $388,365 earned, all while competing against stakes rivals since breaking her maiden on debut. The Liam’s Map filly’s only off-the-board finish was a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last November.

“I thought Jose rode her perfect today,” McPeek said. “He got her in a nice rhythm. I told him, ‘Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t force anything. Get her in a nice rhythm.’ He did that. She was a little farther back than she’s normally been, but she’s got a lot of turn of foot.”

Crazy Beautiful returned $6 to win, $3.20 to place, and $2.60 to show. Millefeuille brought back $5 to place and $3.60 to show. Competitive Speed paid $5.20 to show.