The IND Oaks (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
IND- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
July 14, 2018

Heading into the IND Oaks, Nice Tactical Speed had run well in a couple of graded events, but still had been lacking that big impressive win for her career. Three weeks ago, Maxmillion Farm ran her in an N1X allowance, and that was enough to get her back into the winners circle. If it was the confidence booster that she needed, she was able to get it, and in the IND Oaks, she would that graded win. It wasn’t a large field, but it was a quality field, and it took everything she had to barely finish in front of the reigning BC Juvenile Fillies winner, La Terrifiant. It is the first win in the stake for trainer, Maxmillion Farm, as well as for her jockey, J K Court. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory was 1:41.82, the third quickest in the history of the stake. Let’s have a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :24.15)- Nice Tactical Speed, our eventual winner, is the quickest of the gate, and it looks as though the Maxmillion Farm filly is going to the lead the field into the first turn. However, an explosion of run of sorts from Sweetgrass, out of D J C Racing Stables, meant that she would be the one leading the way into the turn. Nice Tactical Speed was unbothered by this, and was content to settle into second and run side by side with Confidently In Love, the post time favorite who was ridden by the great F Pennington, for Mb Stables. La Terrifiant was fourth, and two and a half length from the lead. The huge longshot, Iris Nebula from SamIam, trailed, but was only four lengths out here.

(½ Mile- :48.11)- As the field moves down the backstretch, Sweetgrass continues to show the way, leading by just over a length. Stalking her would be both Nice Tactical Speed and Confidently In Love, and they were fine with their position on the track at this point, and were not applying any pressure. La Terrifiant was also happy just to keep pace, and trailed by three as she stayed in a three wide position on the track. Iris Nebula was five lengths out now.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Approaching the final turn, both Nice Tactical Speed and Confidently In Love moved down a lane in nearly synchronized fashion as they looked to get by the leader, who was still Sweetgrass. However, Sweetgrass was not going to make it easy on them, and held her own quite well for most of the way around the turn. About halfway into the turn, La Terrifiant turned it up a notch and looked for her own to run. Nice Tactical Speed would ultimately complete the pass for the lead on exit of the turn, and Confidently In Love was half a length back to her inside. Sweetgrass was still in the mix along the rail. On the outside of Nice Tactical Speed, La Terrifiant was coming on pretty well and now within two lengths. Iris Nebula was losing ground instead of gaining any.

(Finish- 1:41.82)- In the stretch, Nice Tactical Speed was strong, and seemed to be holding off the challengers without too much cause for concern. Confidently In Love was unable to make any gains on her. Then, in late moments, La Terrifiant came on powerfully, with an impressive charge and these two would finish side by side. In a very close photo, it would be Nice Tactical Speed getting the head bob just in time over her closing rival in what was a thrilling finish. Confidently In Love ran fine to be third, but maybe not the way those who bet her down to 4/5 were hoping for. Sweetgrass could not find additional run in the stretch. Iris Nebula was outclassed.

About The Winner- Nice Tactical Speed, trained by Maxmillion Farm and ridden to victory by J K Court, is a three year old filly by Nice Laff, and is out of Tactical Luxury. She was bred in California as a yearling by LionKing Stables, and acquired by Maxmillon in private sales in May 2017, with just one race under her belt, for just $10.000. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her third in seven starts, and it is her first stake win of any sort. Her career earnings are now $201.490.

Track: Fast
Time: :24   :48   1:11³  1:41⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 3 Paid 29.70
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 3 – 1 Paid 24.60

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES