The top horse in trainer Kellyn Gorder's barn last year at Oaklawn Park was Red Ruby, a gray daughter of Tiznow, who won the $122,500 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Gorder returns to Hot Springs this year with another promising gray 3-year-old filly in Cairo Cutie, second to Grandaria in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weights event on Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs in her second career start.
"She's my big hope this year," Gorder said. "She was a real good second and the winner came back and romped in a really good race at the Fair Grounds. She's my hope."
Cairo Cutie, who is by Cairo Prince, breezed three times at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky after her last start. She arrived in Hot Springs earlier this month.
As for Red Ruby, Gorder said she is training at WinStar Farm in Kentucky and the hope is to have her at Oaklawn in about a month.
In addition to Oaklawn's Martha Washington, Red Ruby recorded blowout victories in the Grade 2 $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and Grade 3 $300,000 Delaware Oaks on July 7 at Delaware Park before being shelved for the remainder of the year with a couple of minor physical setbacks, Gorder said.
"I went out and saw her the other day and she looked really good," Gorder said.
Sports on 01/20/2019