DEL Oaks (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
DEL- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
July 4, 2020

We could have had an exciting rematch here between Tell It Like It Is and Precise Performance, but the latter would scratch out of the race soon after the field was revealed. This left Tell It Like It Is clearly looking like the one to beat, but there were still some fillies in here that would be more then capable of pulling off a show shocker of their own. That was not going happen here today as Tell It Like It Is showed why she is one of the top horses in this division, winning in an HRP-rout of three lengths. It’s the first time that both trainer Nakamura Stables and jockey J K Court have won the race. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:41.60, just .03 off the stake record, which was set last year. Let’s have a look at her romp!

(1/4 Mile- :23.56)- Tell It Like It Is breaks well out of the gate, but is friendly to her stablemate out of Nakamura Stables, Antiquated Story, and let’s her have a chance to run out front. Tell It Like It Is settles into the middle of the field, running to the inside of Estero Farms’ Honey Stake, who claims the second position. She is two lengths from the front, and keeps Keymadge (Oquinn Farm) and Poetic Charm (Winning Link Stables) behind her. Each of them are three lengths or so from the leading Antiquated Story.

(½ Mile- :47.50)- In the backstretch, Tell It Like It Is retreats to the rear of the field from her midpack position, probably because she just wanted to see it with her own eyes that Precise Performance really didn’t show up to race here today. Now, she is at the back, keeping Poetic Charm company, running five lengths from the front. Stablemate Antiquated Story has now opened up a two lengths, making the couple people that bet on the big longshot very excited. Honey Snake sat just off the lead, in what would be considered a good early trip if Tell It Like It Is was not here. Keymadge moved into third, remaining three off the pace.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Tell It Like It Is continues to wait for her time to strike, just waiting for J K Court to tell her when to move. That did not come until they reached the top of the turn, but once there, she began to slice her way through the field. After leaving Poetic Charm in her dust, she pulled up alongside Keymadge at the top of the stretch. This was noteworthy, because Keymadge was also beginning to make a move of her own. Honey Snake was still in the second position, but never really began to make a move on the pacesetter, who was still Antiquated Story.

(Finish- 1:41.60)- J K Court positioned Tell It Like It Is to the inside of her stablemate to make a move for the stretch, and may have taken a quick moment to thank G Franco and Antiquated Story for a job well done as they as Tell It Like It Is simply zoomed past her. From there, this one was over. She powered home to the stretch, romping this field in a way that we do not see enough of within our virtual world. Truly, a dominant effort, so maybe Precise Performance had the right idea in not showing up. Keymadge takes second with a steady run, getting by Antiquated Story, who still finishes third. Honey Snake and Poetic Charm finish it off.

About The Winner- Tell It Like It Is, trained by Nakamura Stables and ridden to victory by J K Court, is a three year old filly by Telling Ya, and is out of Wine Up Like You Want. She was bred as a first quarter two year old in New York by Nakamura Stables, the only trainer for which she has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her seventh in 12 starts, her fourth stake win, and third graded win. Her career earnings are now $1,041.940.

Track: Fast
Time: :23²  :47²  1:11   1:41³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 5 Paid 2.80
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 5 – 3 Paid 399.60

Scratched: Ms Pea, Precise Performance

Winner Picked By NS

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES