Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Something for everyone in Oaks
DEL MAR, Calif. – The 14 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks are a mix of graded stakes winners, a shipper with international credentials, and a few prospects capable of a surprise in their stakes debut.
The $300,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on turf drew the maximum field. It is easy to like several fillies’ chances.
Madam Dancealot won the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 23, ending any doubt about her ability around two turns. The longer trip in the Del Mar Oaks provides another test.
“What’s to say she can’t do it again?” trainer Richard Baltas said earlier this week.
“I thought if she would relax, she’d get the mile. That was the question we were concerned about, if she could get the distance.”
Madam Dancealot is one of four 2017 stakes winners in the field along with Con Te Partiro, who won the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot in June. Dream Dancing, who won the Grade 3 Here comes the bride Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March, and Kenda, the winner of the Special Goddess Stakes at Santa Anita in June, are also entered.
Beau Recall, Pacific Wind, Tapped, and Vexatious have been second or third in stakes this year and have strong credentials. Two promising fillies will have their first start in a stakes in the Del Mar Oaks: Kathy’s Song and Meadowsweet.
Baltas trains Kathy’s Song, a two-time winner for trainer Brad Cox at Indiana Grand in June who is having her first start in California. Meadowsweet beat Pacific Wind in an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf July 21, her second win in three starts.
KEY CONTENDERS
Madam Dancealot, by Sir Prancealot Last 3 Beyers: 90-81-84
◗ Madam Dancealot won the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes at six furlongs on turf in England last September, her final start before being bought for approximately $291,000 last fall. Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madam Dancealot closed from last in a field of eight to win the San Clemente Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths.
“I know in Europe she was running near the lead,” Baltas said. “She’s settled down and matured. I thought if she could do that she could finish, because she has a turn of foot.”
Dream Dancing, by Tapit Last 3 Beyers: 80-81-88
◗ Dream Dancing is winless in four starts, all Grade 3 stakes, since taking the Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream in March. Her best finish in that period was a second by a halflength in the Grade 3 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 5.
◗ Dream Dancing was seventh after a wide trip in the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga on July 21.
“Her trip in the Lake George was sure not pretty,” trainer Mark Casse said Wednesday from Saratoga. “We made a middle move and it didn’t work for us. We still haven’t lost any confidence or we wouldn’t have sent her out there.”
◗ Julien Leparoux travels from Saratoga to ride Dream Dancing, who usually comes from well off the pace.
Con Te Partiro, by Scat Daddy Last 3 Beyers: 83-81-65
◗ Con Te Partiro won the 24-runner Sandringham Handicap on a straightaway mile for 3-year-old fillies at Royal Ascot on June 21 in her last start. She overcame a bad start and traffic in the final quarter-mile, taking the lead in the final yards to record a 20-1 upset under Jamie Spencer.
“I was cursing the guy the first quarter-mile of the race,” trainer Wesley Ward said, referring to Spencer. “She came with a burst and I was praising him when she crossed the line. He was either going to be a hero or a zero when you ride a race like that.”
◗ Con Te Partiro is the only filly to have raced in a field larger than the 14 entered for the Del Mar Oaks.
“With a big field, we’ll need to get lucky and save ground,” Ward said.
◗ In the United States earlier this year, Con Te Partiro was a fast-closing fourth in the Soaring Softly Stakes at seven furlongs on turf at Belmont Park on May 20 in her first start of the year.