American Oaks 2017: Upset in the making
The G1 American Oaks for three-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles has attracted a field of ten runners, five of which hail from the barns of Richard Baltas (3) and Chad Brown (2) who are throwing the kitchen sink at the chance to get a grade one victory for their connections.
Of the ten runners, New Money Honey has earned over $1 million, most of which came from when she won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf here at Santa Anita in 2016. And she’s the only runner in the field to have won a grade one for trainer Chad Brown who also sends out Rymska.
Winner of her last three, Rymska, who was twice beaten by her stablemate, will enter the starting gate as the lukewarm favorite at 5 to 2 over the other nine rivals.
New Money Honey is the third choice at 7 to 2, and sandwiched in between is the Kentucky invader Daddy’s Lil Darling (3 to 1) for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Daddy’s Lil Darling was the winner of a $200,000 overnight stakes going 1 5/16 miles at Kentucky Downs three back before finishing runner up in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland. Last time she was third in the G2 Mrs. Revere at Churchill over a yielding track at 1 1/16 miles. She’ll have HOF jockey Mike Smith in the irons seeking his 3rd winning ride in the American Oaks.
Two runners exit the Miss America at Golden Gate with a chance to upset.
Kathy’s Song, winner of the Miss America, is one of three entries trained by Richard Baltas who won this race in 2015 when teaming with Brice Blanc who’ll be aboard Kathy’s Song trying to repeat. This will be the longest and toughest test for the daughter of Candy Ride who projects to be closer to the pace going the 1 1/4 miles distance with a chance to upset the field.
Coachwhip, a fast closing second behind Kathy’s Song in the Miss America, has changed barns since her last race, and will now race in the Calumet colors for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella who knows how to win big races on the lawn at Santa Anita. She’s listed at 20 to 1 and should outrun her odds in here.
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DRF PPs for Santa Anita’s G1 $300,000 American Oaks
