The MTH Oaks (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
MTH- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
August 1, 2020

Heading into The MTH Oaks, it seemed as though Pink N Bold would have a great chance to pick up the first graded win for Iolaus Racing. It seemed to be a perfect landing spot for her after her win in the Melair Stakes for CA-breds, but sometimes, things don’t always go according to plan. This time, they would for the trainer. Usually, I would make a special effort to congratulate someone on their first graded win, but the user behind Iolaus has done this many times. So, instead, we’ll say, welcome back to the graded winners circle! Aboard the winner was jockey C P DeCarlo, and the race was run in a time of 1:41.97, making it the third fastest edition of the stake in its history. Let’s take a look at how it happened!

(¼ Mile- :22.95)- From her outside post, the Nakamura Stables trained Shake The Stick jumps out to the early lead, and this was not much of a surprise as it is her running style. Early Mornings, from Mb Stables, takes the second position and is a length behind the leader. It’s another length to Sunlite, from Rampage Stable, who was the post time favorite as well as being our pick to win. She is slightly ahead of the two to her inside, and that includes the eventual race winner from Iolaus Racing, Pink N Bold. She runs in the middle, to the outside of Nakamura Stables’ Miss Flora. Trailing the field is Heartthrob, out of D J C Racing Stables, with a little less than five lengths to make up.

(½ Mile- :46.09)- Shake The Stick is able to get over to the rail midway around the opening turn, and she carries her lead into the backstretch. Early Mornings is not letting her get away, and after half a mile, she begins to make a slight move on her, pulling to within half a length. The three wide group that is next sees all of them be content to hold their lines while racing two and a half lengths behind the leader. Pink N Bold continued to run in the middle of this group. Heartthrob ran by herself in the back, but was still within striking range if she had a late move coming.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- At the end of the backstretch portion, Early Mornings was running side by side with Shake The Stick and made the pass for the lead quite easily soon into the turn. Shake The Stick then began a quick backpedal as Miss Flora was the first to make a push, and then following suit with that would be Pink N Bold. At the top of the stretch, these three were less than a length apart. While Miss Flora and Pink N Bold advanced, their early running partner, Sunlite, surprisingly lacked response and was being passed by Heartthrob.

(Finish- 1:41.97)- Miss Flora completes the pass of Early Mornings soon into the stretch, but had nothing for Pink N Bold, who was in full stride to her outside. That one would run determined, and would not be denied in the stretch, picking up the big win. Miss Flora prevails over Early Mornings for second, with Heartthrob advancing into the fourth position. She was never in contention for more than that. Sunlite and Shake The Stick round it out.

About the Winner- Pink N Bold, trained by Iolaus Racing, and ridden to victory by C P DeCarlo, is a three year old filly by Mancinis Dream, and is out of Produit Chanceux. She was bred in California by Two Hearts One Love as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Iolaus, via Oquinn Farm in a $32.000 claiming race in April. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fifth in seven starts, her second stake win, and first graded win. Her career earnings are now $282.140.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :46   1:10   1:41⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 1 Paid 10.40
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 1 – 5 Paid 23.10

Scratched: Sayyy What

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES