What do a phaeton, chatterbox and condo have in common?

The answer to that question is 50 Kentucky Oaks (G1) points – at least if you’re talking about Ekati’s Phaeton, I’m a Chatterbox and Condo Commando.

Actually, those three fillies have more than 50 points toward a starting berth in the Oaks due to prior victories/placings in the series of races making up the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. They catapulted to the top of the Oaks leaderboard thanks to wins last weekend on February 21, two of which were easy and the other a hard-fought score.

Here’s a breakdown of those wins:

Davona Dale S. (G2) – Gulfstream Park

I REALLY like Ekati’s Phaeton.

I liked her in the Old Hat S. (G3), I liked her in the Forward Gal S. (G2) and I liked her in this spot.

Not necessarily because I thought she towered over her rivals in regards to talent, but because the dark bay miss is such a hard-knocking filly. She gives 110 percent every time, even when she fails to cross under the wire first.

Ekati’s Phaeton didn’t fail in the Davona Dale, holding by a neck after setting the pace throughout the one-mile contest, for which she earned a career-best 104 BRIS Speed rating.

Sent off at 26-1, she made her backers very happy when holding off Birdatthewire and favored Eskenformoney following a stretch-long duel.

The Bill Kaplan trainee may not be able to deny those two in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, but I don’t think anyone expected her to last a mile in the Davona Dale either. Ekati’s Phaeton gutted out the win on sheer determination, one of the reasons I like her so much.

While it’s always exciting to see a horse pull off for a huge victory, the battles really test them and Ekati’s Phaeton has won this one. We’ll see if she wins the war on May 1.

Photo: Adam Coglianese Photography

Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) – Fair Grounds

I’m a Chatterbox surprised everyone with an eight-length tour de force in the Silverbulletday S. on January 17, but no one was caught off guard by her 2 ½-length win in the Rachel Alexandra.

The chestnut miss showed remarkable versatility in the 1 1/16-mile affair, settling well back near the rear of the field instead of leading all the way like she did in the Silverbulletday. Sent widest of all rounding the final turn, the sophomore pulled away from her rivals before being geared down to cross under the wire first.

I’m a Chatterbox was awarded a 96 BRIS Speed rating for both her Silverbulletday and Rachel Alexandra wins.  The only knock against the filly at this point is her well-beaten fourth in the Golden Rod S. (G2) last November at Churchill Downs.

That loss could mean I’m a Chatterbox doesn’t like Churchill’s track, or it could be she was just having a bad day. Regardless, soon after the Kentucky-bred left trainer Kenny McPeek’s barn and joined up with conditioner Larry Jones (think Oaks winners Believe You Can & Proud Spell as well as Horse of the Year & champion older mare Havre de Grace).

I’m a Chatterbox is in the best shedrow possible for getting the Kentucky Oaks win, and is following  the same Fair Grounds path to the race as Proud Spell and Believe You Can.

Photo: Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography