Taken By The Wind Unbeaten, Eyes Kentucky Oaks After Silverbulletday Win

Taken By The Wind cemented her status as an early 3-year-old filly to watch with a gate-to-wire victory in the Fasig-Tipton Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 17. The Rock Your World filly, trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., set modest fractions over 1 mile 70 yards and repelled a late bid from Luv Your Neighbor to cross the wire in 1:43.58, preserving an unblemished record while picking up 20 precious points toward the Kentucky Oaks.

The performance reinforced several positive markers. Her ability to control the race from the front under pressure showcased tactical speed and a measure of resilience against challengers late in the lane. Turning a stakes field into a successful front-running assignment suggests she can dictate terms in more than one style of race, an asset when mapping an Oaks campaign where pace scenarios vary widely. Becoming a graded stakes winner this winter immediately raises her profile on the Oaks leaderboard and alters how connections will sequence her season.

From an industry perspective, the timing of this victory underscores a broader trend in the juvenile-to-sophomore transition. Early graded wins and points acquisitions are increasingly valuable as owners and trainers try to lock in Oaks eligibility without overextending young fillies. Taken By The Wind’s 20-point haul positions her prominently and changes the economics of her next moves: targeted preps can be chosen for conditioning rather than desperation, and ownership can manage risk to preserve long-term broodmare value should she continue to collect black type.

Culturally, the Silverbulletday win at Fair Grounds reinforces the regional circuits’ role as springboards to premier events at Churchill Downs. Fans who follow the Road to the Kentucky Oaks prize narratives get a storyline they can follow from the Gulf South to Louisville, and fillies that dominate early prep races help sustain interest in the female classic throughout the spring. The performance also keeps alive the age-old appeal of a front-running filly holding off late challengers, a template that resonates with casual spectators and handicappers alike.

Connections discussed Oaks prep planning after the race, and that conversation will shape the next chapter: whether to seek another graded test, aim for prep races that offer higher points, or time a late run toward Oak Day. For readers and racegoers, Taken By The Wind’s result matters because it alters the leaderboard and the strategic landscape for the coming months. Her unbeaten record and graded-stakes status make her a headline act on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, and her next start will reveal whether she can sustain the promise shown in New Orleans and carry it to the spring classics.