SA Oaks (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
April 8, 2017

From TUP to SA, and now to CD for Devils Future.  It’s somewhat of a rags to riches to story for this filly, as while other top females in her division were running in prep races for the Oaks more previously, Devils Future was simply not on the radar.  She was down at TUP, running in allowances and a smaller stake.  In her last race down there, she was sharp in winning an allowance by four lengths, so trainer Allinthegate took the shot at the SA Oaks.  The field was small, so while it was a step up, and did not seem like a completely unreasonable task.  Devils Future would be up for the challenge, and did well to come from behind and give her trainer their first win in this stake, and the same holds true for jockey I Ortiz Jr.  Congratulations!  The time of the win was 1:41.90, the second fastest winning time in the SA Oaks history.  Here’s a deeper look.

(1/4 Mile- :24.10)- Everyone seemed to break just fine out of the gate, but the eventual winner, Devils Future and Eastern Sky (Maxmillion Farm) would be in a restrain down the front stretch and as they moved into the turn.  At the front of the field, no one particularly rocketed out of the gate, but Easy Time (Waldo) would be the one in the lead at a quarter mile.  Hateuscuztheyaintus (Night Mare Racing) was just to inside and not too far behind.   Silent Waters (Mb Stables) settled into a stalking position a length behind them, while stablemate Sensory was good initially but seemed to be a hard restrain around the opening turn.

(½ Mile- :47.73)- Not much is changing thus far, though the pace is quickening a little from the two leaders.  It is still Easy Time and Hateuscuztheyaintus having a good battle between them, with Silent Waters a length behind.   Devils Future has not shown a winning move yet, and she sits comfortably on the rail at this point, running fourth, and about four lengths from the lead.  Eastern Sky is match her strides as Sensory is three wide but possibly dropping back further as we approach the final turn.

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.46)- Silent Waters sizes up the two frontrunners, inches closer, and moves to make it three wide in the turn.   She’s level with them on exit of the turn, but pulls in front of them soon after entering the stretch.  Neither Easy Time or Hateuscuztheyaintus were able to muster up much of a fight.  However, she was not the only one moving forward.  Rounding the turn, Devils Future began to make her move, also cutting the gap to the frontrunners, but the bigger question was going to be whether or not she would get Silent Waters.  That one went a little wider in the turn then Mb Stables may have liked, and it allowed Devils Future to capitlaize on the third lane for the stretch.  Eastern Sky is trying to go with her and stays within a length at this point. Sensory has called it a day.

Finish (1:41.90)- With a length to make up on Silent Waters, I Ortiz Jr makes sure that Devils Future stays in an all out drive, and she would never lose her focus.   She’d make the winning pass a little easier then I thought it would be as well.  Silent Waters had nothing for her, but ran well enough to the wire for second.   Eastern Sky would stall out, and would only pass one of the two early frontrunners as Hateuscuztheyaintus held on for the third position.  Easy Time ends up 5th, but a quarter length from third.   Sensory crosses the line all by herself way back there.

About the winner: Devils Future is a three year old filly trained by Allinthegate by the late Devils Woodyard, and is out of Futuristic, ridden to victory by I Ortiz Jr..  She was bred in Louisiana as a second quarter two year old by Allinthegate, the only trainer she has ever had.  Congratulations to the connections!  The win is her third in eight career starts, and her earnings now sit at $281.160.

Track: Fast
Time: :24   :47³  1:11²  1:41⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 5 Paid 9.30
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 5 – 1 Paid 85.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES