May 5, 2002	Sunday	Safar 21, 1423

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LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 4: Farda Amiga sprang a huge upset to win the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs Friday.

Ridden by Chris McCarron, 20-1 Farda Amiga defeated favoured Take Charge Lady by 1 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-old fillies. Habibti was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

A Churchill Downs crowd of 101,923, the third largest in Oaks day history, watched the race.

The California-based winner, trained by Paulo Lobo, had to survive an objection by Habibti’s jockey Victor Espinoza, who claimed interference in the stretch.

Godolphin’s Imperial Gesture, ridden by the globetrotting Frankie Dettori, weakened in the stretch and never threatened despite being the 7-2 third betting choice.

Dettori returns to England late on Friday to ride Godolphin’s Naheef in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket Saturday.

“Believe it or not I was confident going into this one,” said McCarron after winning his third Kentucky Oaks. “I knew my filly would just keep coming.”

Farda Amiga paid $42 to win, $11.20 to place and $5.40 to show for a $2 stake.

Take Charge Lady, trained by Ken McPeek, whose colt Harlan’s Holiday attempts to take the Kentucky Derby Saturday, was sent off at 8/5 odds, paid $3.80 and $3.00, and Habibti paid $3.80 to show.

In an earlier race, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Spain became the richest filly or mare in North American history after winning the Louisville Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

RBY FAVOURITE

One of his main competitors is out of the race, but Harlan’s Holiday remains an uneasy co-favourite for Kentucky Derby.

Early wagering shows strong support for the Shug McGaughey-trained Saarland, who along with Harlan’s Holiday was 5-1 in betting Friday at Churchill Downs.

Wood Memorial winner Buddah, a 5-1 early choice, was scratched from the field Friday morning after coming up lame, leaving the 128th Run for the Roses with 19 runners to battle over 1 1/4 miles on a track expected to be fast when the gates spring open at 6:04 p.m. EDT (10:04 p.m GMT)

Harlan’s Holiday attempts to become only the second Ohio bred to win, 93 years after Wintergreen captured the 1909 Derby.

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s duo of Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo will not get their first sight of Churchill Downs until Saturday morning when they are transported from Keeneland Race Course, 75 miles away in Lexington.

Johannesburg eased from 6-1 to 11-1 in the early wagering, and Castle Gandolfo from 20-1 to 35-1. Two of racing’s most successful jockeys will be aboard O’Brien’s colts: three times Derby winner Gary Stevens rides Johannesburg and twice winner Jerry Bailey partners Castle Gandolfo.

Dubai’s Godolphin racing team will be represented by Essence of Dubai, the only horse to have run the Derby distance.

Pat Day’s streak of 18 straight Derby mounts appeared over when Buddah was withdrawn. But a few hours later the track announced Day would replace Corey Nakatani aboard 45-1 shot Blue Burner, who will start from the outermost gate in stall 20.

Nakatani was injured in a spill Thursday during a Hollywood Park race and suffered a mild concussion.

“If Corey’s not up to riding I’m tickled pink to have the opportunity,” Day said.

Saarland’s breeding indicates he may like the 10 furlongs of the Derby. His sire Unbridled won the 1990 Derby, and McGaughey said Friday, “Everything’s going our way.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas returns to the Derby after his 20-year streak of having at least one Derby starter ended last year. His 39th entry, easily a Derby record, will be Proud Citizen, whose odds shortened from 30-1 to 16-1 Friday.

O’Brien is one of five trainers competing in their first Kentucky Derby. The others are Wilson Brown (who trains It’sallinthechase), Steve Margolis (Request For Parole), Jeff Mullins (Lusty Latin) and Ted West (Easy Grades).—Reuters