The 3yo fillies take center stage on Sunday at Golden Gate Fields in the 75k California Oaks. While this is not the biggest field in the world, it is still an interesting handicapping puzzle. It goes as Race 7 and will be run at 8.5f. Post time is 3:59pm.
#1 Reiwa (Wong/ Antongeorgi): This daughter of James Street started to really show her potential once she stretched out around 2-turns. Her last 5 races have all been at a route distance and she has yet to miss the exacta in those. Been keeping good company in her last few races and is coming off of a 2nd place finish to stablemate Dynasty of Her Own on March 29th. Dynasty of Her Own opened up a good margin and Reiwa was able to cut into it in the lane– she lost by 1 1/4 lengths. She is honest and is alway going to make her run. Has more speed than I originally thought but think she will sit back and stalk the leaders.
#2 Dynasty of Her Own (Wong/ Gonzalez): Has alway shown a lot of potential and has lived up to it so far. In 4 career starts she has 3 wins (including a win in the 65k Boarderplex Stakes at Sunland Park). Her win on March 29th was impressive as she set a very fast pace, opened things up on the turn, and put them all away in the stretch. 3rd place finisher She’s So Special came back to win an Allowance against the boys sprinting on the turf at Santa Anita. While she does have a lot of speed, she has shown in the past that she is not dependent on being in front early– that ability can come in handy with their being some other speed types in here. Her finish in the lane is not the strongest according to late pace figures, but that is kind of expected with how fast she goes early. Has been working steadily down at Santa Anita and looks like she is coming into this one in top form.
Click here to view a workout from her on April 23rd at Santa Anita
#3 Paige Anne (Callaghan/ Martinez): The first of 2 runners for trainer Simon Callaghan. 2 races back she ran here at Golden Gate Fields and won an Allowance race by a commanding 6 lengths– really liked how she took off in the lane to draw off from the others. I would put a line through her last race as she found the waters too deep against talented stablemate Donna Veloce in the G3 Santa Ysabel Stakes. Would have to think she will be on or near the lead in this spot.
#4 Fashion Royalty (Gallagher/ Couton): SCRATCH. Ran at Santa Anita on Saturday.
#5 Mollie O’ McEvoy (Delia/ Frey): This daughter of Clubhouse Ride has progressed nicely and seems to be coming into this one well. Broke her maiden for 25k in November, then won a 50k Starter Allowance after that. Been at the 1st level Allowance level in her last 3 starts and finally was able to get the job done last time out on March 8th– she wired the field and held off a challenge from Reiwa late. Being drawn outside the other speeds is going to be good for her as jockey Kyle Frey can either put her on the pace or sit just off of it.
#6 Mind Out (Callaghan/ Hernandez): The 2nd of 2 runners for trainer Simon Callaghan. Showed a ton of talent coming from way back to win on debut at Del Mar going 5f on the turf in August. This will be her first start on the tapeta, but I don’t think she will have any issues with it being by Tapit and out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare. Has a world of talent, but seems to be her own worst enemy. Has broken slow from the gate in the past and been a bit green. In her last start she came home really well to finish 2nd behind the talented Parkour after completely missing the break (3/22 Allowance at Santa Anita). That was her first run in blinkers and those seemed to focus her more. Will be running on late. Fastest numbers on paper. Needs to break better.
#7 Eclair (Baffert/ Van Dyke): Was last seen winning the Golden Gate Debutante back in November. Will be stretching out to 2-turns. Her last try routing was at Del Mar on the turf and she finished 7th by 8 1/4 lengths– I couldn’t find any excuses that day either. Based on pedigree she should have no trouble getting the distance, and would have to assume Baffert knows she can see out the trip if he’s sending her up here. Best race of her career was over this track and should sit in a nice stalking position.
Pace Scenario:
I think Dynasty of Her Own is the quickest early and is going to be sent from post 2. Paige Anne has some speed too and I think she will keep close to Dynasty of Her Own. Mollie O’ McEvoy has some speed but I would assume she is going to sit just off the leaders in 3rd. Reiwa will get a stalking position on the inside and Eclair should be sitting in a similar spot outside of her. Mind Out will be close to those 2 at the back. The pace should be solid in here even though it is a short field.
Selections: 6-3-7-1
#6 Mind Out (7/2): Is talented and should get a good trip from off the pace with Juan Hernandez aboard. Needs to break cleanly in here.
#3 Paige Anne (4/1): Thought her Allowance win in January over the tapeta was impressive. Can stick close early and has finish late.
#7 Eclair (3/1): Baffert has had a lot of Stakes success up here over the past year. Seems to be training well heading into this one. Is she as effective routing?
#1 Reiwa (8/1): Think she can run on late to pick up some of the pieces underneath. The extra 1/16th should help.
NorCal Horse Racing News 