Bottle of Rouge's dramatic win in the Sunland Park Oaks is a testament to her tenacity and skill. But here's where it gets controversial... The race was not without its drama, with a close call that sparked a stewards' inquiry and an objection from Pashmina's jockey. In the end, Bottle of Rouge's victory was declared official, but the incident left many wondering about the fairness of the decision. Let's take a closer look at what happened and the implications it may have for the future of horse racing.
Bottle of Rouge, a 3-year-old filly, solidified her status among the top fillies with a tenacious 1 1/2-length victory in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park on February 15. The winner of the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) in September, Bottle of Rouge came into the race off a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) for trainer Bob Baffert and his wife, owner Jill Baffert. The Doug O'Neill-trained Cashed, the early race leader, gave way to Bottle of Rouge midway through the final turn. Pashmina and Coffee Connection fought gamely down the stretch, with Touch of Magic making a bold move on the outside to get up for second, while Pashmina took show honors.
In the stretch, as Bottle of Rouge pulled away, she veered to the right under Juan Hernandez, impeding the path of Pashmina, resulting in a stewards' inquiry and an objection made by Pashmina's jockey, Cristian Torres. Hernandez straightened the filly out and rode a straight path to the wire. After review, the stewards declared no change to the order of finish.
The Baffert trainee finished the 1-mile race in 1:35.82. She paid $2.80 to win. Bottle of Rouge became Baffert's ninth Sunland Park Oaks winner. Her victory earned her 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The race offered qualifying points to the top-five finishers on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2.
Bottle of Rouge was bred in Kentucky by Kathie Maybee out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Blues Corner. She was offered at public auction twice, bringing $60,000 as a weanling at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and $100,000 as a yearling at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale when purchased by Big Sky Racing.
But the real controversy lies in the incident involving Bottle of Rouge and Pashmina. The question remains: was Bottle of Rouge's veering to the right a legitimate move or an obstruction? The stewards' inquiry and the objection from Pashmina's jockey raise important questions about the fairness of the decision. What do you think? Do you agree with the stewards' decision, or do you think Bottle of Rouge should have been penalized? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
