Counting Stars finished up her serious preparations Wednesday morning, working a half-mile in 48.20 at Churchill Downs. She will be entered on Saturday for the $1.5-million Kentucky Oaks (G1) run at a mile and an eighth on the dirt on Friday night, May 1 at Churchill. 

Trainer Mark Casse said, “She is a star. I think she is one of the horses to beat. She is a big, strong filly and she has come here and done very well. I think the race will set up for her. She is very versatile. … She makes her own doing. If there is no pace, she will be on the lead, and if there is pace she will sit off of it.

Mark added, “That was a super breeze. We had to slow her down a little bit or otherwise she would have just zipped around there. She came out of it good, scoped good, so it’s all systems go for the big race.” 

West Point’s Joe Bianca also noted how much she has progressed physically in comparing videos of her now with last April at OBS, saying, “It’s really cool to see how much she’s grown up.” 

Catching up on sleep ahead of the big race!