Get To Know The Kentucky Oaks Starters

May 07, 2016 Churchill Downs Communications

CATHRYN SOPHIA

·         Bay filly by Street Boss, out of the Mineshaft mare Sheave. Foaled on April 2, 2013 in Maryland

·         Won four out of her five career starts by a combined 41 ½ lengths

·         Suffered her lone defeat in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland, where she finished two lengths behind Weep No More

·         Named for owner Chuck Zacney's niece, Cathryn McCarry, who is a freshman soccer player at Rowan University

·         No. 6 on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard with 80 points

Owned by Cash Is King LLC (Chuck Zacney et al)

·         Cash Is King LLC is headed by Chuck Zacney

·         Zacney is the president and owner of the Sirrus Group, a medical billing company based in Oreland, PA

·         Cash Is King owned 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex

·         Afleet Alex’s son, Afleet Again, provided Cash Is King LLC with its second graded stakes victor when he won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes in 2010 

Trained by John Servis

·         Servis was born on Oct. 25, 1958 in Charles Town, WV

·         Before taking out his training license in 1984, Servis worked on a horse farm, was a jockey agent and an assistant to trainer Mark Reid

·         His brother-in-law is Florida-based trainer Edward Plesa, Jr.

·         His first graded stakes winner was Jostle, who won the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama (both Grade 1) and banked $1.3 million in career earning

·         Servis got his big break in 2004 when Smarty Jones went onto win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before losing to Birdstone in the Belmont Stakes

·         Cathryn Sophia gave Servis his first graded stakes winner since Round Pond took the Grade 3 Azeri Handicap at Oaklawn Park in 2006

Ridden by Javier Castellano

·         Born on Oct. 23, 1977 in Maracaibo, Venezuela

·         Began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconata Race Courses in Venezuela

·         Moved to the United States in June 1997

·         Scored his first United States victory on July 31, 1997 aboard Phone Man at Calder

·         Won three straight Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey in 2013-15

·         Five-time Travers Stakes winner; Bernardini (2006), Afleet Express (2010), Stay Thirsty (2011), V.E. Day (2014) and Keen Ice (2015)

·         Set a record for single season earnings in 2015, banking $28,120,767

·         Leading rider at Saratoga in 2013-14

·         Has had four five-win days at Saratoga: Sept. 6, 2004, Sept. 3, 2005, July 25, 2010 and Sept. 2, 2013

·         Five-time Breeders’ Cup winner: Ghostzapper (2004 Classic), Zagora (2012 Filly & Mare Turf), Ria Antonia (2013 Juvenile Fillies), Dayatthespa (2014 Filly & Mare Turf), and Stopcharginmaria (2015 Distaff)

Bred by Robert T. Manfuso

·         Manfuso is the owner and president of Chanceland Farm, Inc.

·         Current Member of the Breeders' Cup Limited Board of Directors

·         Current Member of the NTRA Political Action Committee 

·         Executive Vice President, Laurel Racing Association from 1984 to May 1990

·         Executive Vice President, The Maryland Jockey Club from 1986 to June 1990