Untapable, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit trained by Steve Asmussen, won the 140th running of the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Longines Kentucky Oaks before a crowd of 113,071 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The win is the second Kentucky Oaks win for jockey Rosie Napravnik. She won in 2012 with Believe You Can and became the first female jockey to win the historic race.
"She was really great today," said an exuberant Napravnik on her way to the winner's circle. "We ended up in a great position from the outside post. She runs her best when she can get in a great stride. She relaxes so nice. She's growing up and is maturing. She is magnificent."
Sent off as the even-money favorite, Untapable sat mid-pack while Calvin Borel took the lead with Sugar Shock. My Miss Sophia and jockey Javier Castellano pressed the pace along with Thank You Marylou and jockey Julien Leparoux. The early leaders set a sharp pace of 23.67 for the first quarter and 47.80 for the half. As the field turned for home, My Miss Sophia took the lead with Untapable quick on her heals. Biding her time behind the early speed, Napravnik aboard Untapable, guided her filly down the lane before the pair overpowered My Miss Sophia and took victory by 4 1/2 lengths. It was another six lengths back to Dallas Stewart's Unbridled Forever in third and 1 1/4 lengths back to fourth-place finisher Rosalind.
“She shuts off and she relaxes,” said Napravnik. “She kind of gives me the ear twitch like ‘when do you want to go?’ She is absolutely fabulous.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen has been under fire as of late after PETA released a controversial undercover video involving the trainer and his former assistant trainer Scott Blasi. Although many owners removed their horses from Asmussen's barn, owner Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC chose to keep Untapable and his Kentucky Derby starter, Tapiture, with the trainer.
“She’s the star today and I’m glad she came through and showed everyone how special she is,” said Asmussen.
