A full field of 12 sophomore fillies will line up and race nine furlongs in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1) at Del Mar.
Some impressive names are listed on the roster of previous winners, including champions Turkish Trousers, Flawlessly, Hollywood Wildcat, Golden Apples, Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale and a number of other Grade 1 winners. The late Hall of Famer Charlie Whittingham remains the leading trainer with seven winners and three jockeys – Bill Shoemaker, Chris McCarron and Corey Nakatani (all Hall of Famers) – share top billing with four wins a piece.
The race was contested over the dirt course before 1964 and has been a Grade 1 since 1994.
Madakat, Little Red Feather and the estate of Brereton Jones’s Thought Process is coming off a two-race win streak, including the San Clemente Stakes (G2) last out and seeks a fourth career stakes victory. The Collected filly, who is trained by Phil D’Amato, drew the ten hole, which isn’t ideal for her running style as she likes to be forwardly placed. Fortunately there’s a long run up the inside chute on the Jimmy Durante turf course, and even more room before the field heads into the clubhouse turn for her to gain preferred position. She’s won five of six career turf starts (including her maiden over this course) and undefeated in her two starts this year, both on the lawn. Umberto Rispoli rides.
British-bred Lush Lips won the Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs after a pair of seconds in the Florida Oaks (G3) and Edgewood Stakes (G2). She has some tactical ability and will likely sit off the pace in the early going and look to do her best running down the lane. Tyler Gaffalione will be in town to ride for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Take A Breath, another British import won an allowance in England six weeks ago and has won three of four starts this year, makes her stateside debut after arriving in America just a couple of weeks ago. Mark Glatt trains the Bated Breath filly for Rancho Temescal and Chivalry Thoroughbred Partners and Hector Barrios will ride.
The lightly raced Irish-bred Slick was third in an allowance race in her only start so far this year after more than six months on the shelf. Mirco Demuro rides Slick, who was outworked by Thought Process on Aug. 10.
George Strawbridge’s homebred Will Then is a dual stakes winner for trainer Jonathan Thomas, including the Jimmy Durante Stakes (G2) over this course last year. She was third in the San Clemente last out and should appreciate the added distance here under jockey Juan Hernandez.
Firenze Flavor, who is trained by Paddy Gallager, won the Honeymoon Stakes (G3) at this distance at Santa Anita two back and was fourth in the San Clemente last out. She might have run out of real estate that day and will certainly appreciate the added distance here and will have Drayden Van Dyke aboard.
For those who bet on horse racing, the picks:
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