9/18/21

  9   BEL   Jockey Club Oaks

 $700.000    3yoF       1  3/8m   Turf         122lbs

The Derby/Oaks road goes on forever… and we head up to Elmont NY for the Jockey Club Oaks and although it’s an ungraded stakes, that $700.000 purse is certainly worth getting out of bed for.  Ice Crystal sure has been tough in NY this summer and no reason to look elsewhere for the top choice today.  She’s won four in a row including the BEL and SAR Oaks… Smokey Stover has the chestnut sharp as a Ginsu knife and she looks the one to me.  I’ll go to the rail for my second choice and Shes One Of A Kind certainly has the speed to get anyone’s attention.  Another that has been on my radar is Heels Up and she’s another that showed devastating speed last out.  She’s looks like a horse that is rounding into form at the right time.

It’s a loaded field and I’m looking forward to this one.    

Here’s The Field –

Looked good winning the ONT Colleen Stakes (GIII) north of the border in her most recent.  She has three wins on the season and a number of other good races, and with her speed, the rail position and her current form, she certainly looks like a horse to be reckoned with in this one.  Give her a big shot. 

Second part of the Maxmillion Farm duo and she’s still looking for her first win of the season.  Two back, she had a nice runner-up race in the San Clemente (GII) at DMR, so she has some class and ability, and should come with some odds.  Give her a chance.

Had back to back wins earlier this season breaking maiden at SA then winning the Sanibel Island at GP.  The last three have been vs. graded foes and she’s getting closer with each start… can she keep the improvement going in this one?

Had a three race win streak back in the spring into early summer including a huge win in the Mother Goose (GII) at BEL.  The last pair have been less than thrilling, so she needs to turn it around or it could be another rough day at the office… but her best would certainly make her a force. 

Has changed hands twice in her last four races and switched over to the big barn, showing good form in the Pucker Up Stakes (GIII) at AP in her first start for the mega-barn.  Another like that should put her in the middle of things when they turn for home. 

Has only missed the board one time this season with three wins, but most of those came early in the year and she’s had seconditis in her last two starts, once over this track in the BEL Oaks (GI).  Same in the SAR Oaks (GIII) where she had the lead in both of those.  Can she get it done today?

Smokey has this one on fire, four wins in a row including the BEL Oaks (GI) and the SAR Oaks (GIII)… add in that she’s won five of her seven seasonal starts, the other starts being thirds, and you don’t have to be Andy Beyer to know this one can run.  She looks like the one to beat, that’s for sure. 

Her last three starts were out on the left coast where she had a pair of seconds vs. Cal-bred stakes company, then was third in the DMR Oaks (GI).  She was stakes placed before she broke maiden so you know the barn thinks something of her.  She should be in the mix again today.

Has won her last two race and that wire to wire win in the CTT Stakes where she took down older horses at a distance.  If she can build on that race, look out, she could be a monster here today.    

She’s been a solid type this season, bringing home checks on a regular basis, but her three graded efforts have been declining.  She won the Honeymoon (GIII) then was third in the Selene (GIII) at WO and last of five as the favorite in the San Clemente (GII) last out.  Obviously, she needs to find some of that old magic. 

COZMAN    7 / 1 / 9                Willie’s Green Card       7 / 5 / 6-8

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded