SA Oaks – Grade II [KYO]

1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $400.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st Celine D J C Racing Stables Carmouche K

With the FL Derby going to a last time out maiden winner it was fitting that this race went to a last time out optional claimer winner but in truth this was the far more predictable result as this filly had shown she was on the cusp of a performance like this. A stakes winning two-year-old she has been busy this year already finishing close up in the Santa Ynez and the Forward Gal. It seems what she needed though was just a bit further and today she used every yard of the mile and sixteenth to take the win in impressive fashion. It looked like she was going to be blocked out of the win as they rounded the corner, but the gaps came, and she burst through with an impressive turn of foot. On to the KYO for this one now and she will take an impressive win into that race.

2nd Tokyo Story Smokey Stover Vazquez R A

The favorite for the race she got to the front early in a turnaround of tactics and looked to be going well enough in the lead to ride the race engine to victory. The speed today in general though hasn’t been holding up quite as well and whilst the challengers had fanned wide and were not making an impression the filly that had been tracking her every move pounced. We can’t tell these days whether this was a tactical decision by the trainer or just a horse lead decision by the AI, but it looked like paying off for a long way. In the end she found one too good, but the KYO beckons and she will be strong in that race.

3rd Fire Form Mb Stables Wilson E J

Pretty much held her position throughout ending up taking a third which was far better than her effort in the Busher last time, The jury is still out as to whether she will be a KYO contender, but this was a better effort.


4th Categorical Destiny Mb Stables Murrill M

The two Mb Stables runners were drawn together and finished together running very similar races.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES