Saratoga Day 3: Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks

By Rick Francis —-

Abel Tasman; Zoe Metz/Clockers Corner Photo

A field of seven three-year-old fillies goes to post in the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks led by China Horse Club International’s Abel Tasman, winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes; let’s take a look at the starters.

Race 10) 1„ Mile. ™ Coaching Club American Oaks Grade I. Purse $300,000 FOR FILLIES THREE YEARS OLD Post Time: ( 6:18)/ 5:18/ 4:18/ 3:18 ADVANCED FORECAST: Rain Showers Likely, High 80 Low 60.

Elate (1), Mott/Ortiz, J; drew away from overnighters last out at Delaware and has finished in the money in 5-of-6 starts; Medaglia d’Oro filly will continue to improve but won’t best these.

Abel Tasman (2), Baffert/Smith; winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Grade 1 Acorn where she unleashed a powerful late bid to clear the field, a similar effort she exhibited in the Kentucky Oaks. Baffert does not ship cross-country for the airline miles, but this is Saratoga, the ‘Graveyard of Favorites”.

Daddys Lil Darling (3), McPeek/Leparoux; this Scat Daddy filly also demonstrated a serious late push, coming from well back in the Kentucky Oaks to finish a solid second to Tasman; however in a return to the turf last out in the Belmont Oaks she ran wide to finish fourth. Her late kick will make this very interesting today.

Corporate Queen (4), Casse/Ortiz, I; the first of three from the Casse barn and possibly the weakest of the three, as her best effort of late came two back in the Black-Eyed Susan; looking elsewhere.

Summer Luck (5), Casse/Castellano; this girl also has had difficulty of late in graded contests, finishing no better than third; pass.

Berned (6), Motion/Maragh; after taking Monmouth OC’s two back, Bernardini daughter closed well but never threaten last out in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks; only bottoms of exotics.

Salty (7), Casse/Rosario; finished behind Abel Tasman in her last two, a bumpy fifth in the Kentucky Oaks, and a strong second last out in the Acorn; that late kick keeps her in this to the wire.

Selections: 2, 7, 1, 3