SA Oaks (Grade 2) (KYO)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
April 9, 2022

Last week, Viable Tactics was scheduled to run in the GP Oaks, but trainer Mb Stables opted to scratch her out of the race. Instead, he would opt for the SA Oaks, and it would prove to be the correct decision as the filly would go on to score a two length victory and put herself in a position where Mb Stables needs to make a choice between three of his four eligible entries. If this story sounds familiar, it should, because last week The Intouchables won the Fantasy a week after being scratched out of the FG Oaks. The win is the third in the SA Oaks for Mb Stables, as he also won in 2014 and 2018. J Talamo is a two time winning rider now, having also won in 2015. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:48.50. It was the first time the race ran at a mile and an eighth. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :47.37)- Our Last Night breaks well out of the gate, and the Mb Stables filly holds an uncontested lead down the frontstretch, and she holds this throughout the first turn. Her advantage is two lengths as no one goes up to challenge her. There would initially be a group of four horses behind her, but that would decrease to two before reaching the first turn. Now it is Oddway and Upstate, from Gdp Inc and Smokey Stover respectively, serving as the stalkers in the race. The eventual winner, Viable Tactics, settles in nicely right behind them for Mb Stables, and is about four lengths behind her frontrunning stablemate. A length behind her are Flying Ridge (Mb Stables) and Mystic Rhythm (Paradise Stable), and at the back are Poison Candy (Glorify Stables) and Ask Forfree Delivery (Arindel).

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.25)- Other than some side by side movement in the second half of the field, there is not much that happens in the backstretch. Our Last Night continues to show the way with both Oddway and Upstate two lengths behind and not putting any further pressure on her. Viable Tactics is right behind them, and she is also content with seeing Our Last Night up front. Behind them, a lot of jockeys looking for lanes, but no actual pushes forward.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Is this going to be one of those races where a pacesetters gets away early and is never challenged, because for now Our Last Night still seems to be in a comfortable position. Her lead is still two lengths, and it’s the two stalkers, Oddway and Upstate who are looking more leg weary than she might be right now. Viable Tactics moves into the third lane, and pulls up to the outside of these two and nearly has the pass complete at the top of the stretch. At this point, Mb Stables probably had a big smile on his face. Poison Candy had a great rail trip going, handling the turn well, but would need to move off of it to pass horses. It looked like her plan would be to split Oddway and Upstate if there was enough room. Ask Forfree Delivery was going to take a longer outside trip, but looked like she might have a little something as well.

(Finish- 1:48.50)- With a furlong to go, Our Last Night looked like she was beginning to get tired. Fortunately for Mb Stables, there was only one horse making a run at her, and she was also wearing the same colored silks. Viable Tactics was coming on strong, cutting into the deficit with enough time to catch her, but she would emphatically handle the last furlong of the race to win it in convincing fashion! A little further back, Poison Candy was a good one to watch as S Elliott readjusted her lane to go back to the rail to pass Upstate on the inside. She was in great stride to the wire, and while she was too far behind Viable Tactics, the bid was not all for not, as she’d get up to second and collect 40 points. Unfortunately for Glorify Stables, that’s probably not enough to get into the KYO. A gassed Our Last Night hung on for third over Ask Forfree Delivery who came on well along the outside. Upstate, Oddway, Flying Ridge and Mystic Rhythm round it out.

About The Winner- Viable Tactics, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by J Talamo, is a three year old filly by Apples To Oranges, and is out of Tactically. She was bred as a third quarter two year old by the trainer in California, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her second in three starts, and her first stake win. Her career earnings are now $274.450.

Track: Fast
Time: :47¹  1:11¹  1:35⁴  1:48²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 1 Paid 1,463.60
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 1 – 2 Paid 1,556.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES