As Mb Stables continues to build his mountain based on all his Graded Stakes victory, chalk up another one as Diluted captured this seasons Grade I DMR Oaks and now sits in fourth place with 20 points for the BC F&M Turf event in November.

• DMR Oaks – Grade I , Purse $300.000
• Del Mar Racetrack – For Fillies Three Years old.
• A Mile and a Eighth – Turf Course

While this event had a more reasonable pace being set compared to the earlier Handicap race on the card, Diluted was content to sit just a length shy to the duel between Chili King Stables Illustrious Cat ( 30-1 ) who was using Bute for the first time, and Estero Farms Trippi Tip Toe ( 5-1) who wanted to stick around late and place better then in the Gr. I Diana.

Coming out of the chute and hitting the wire for the first time, Illustrious Cat was keen on the front by a length and a half over Trippi Tip Toe down along the rail. Diluted was just off the flank of that runner, with a wall of runners behind her. Chai Command ( John Henry ) (27-1) would be the early trailer.

As the field made the midway point down the backstretch, Illustrious Cat and Trippi Tip Toe were now just heads apart from one another. Diluted was now in the company of Team 7 Illusions Emotionless from her extreme outside post. A Group of three sat a couple lengths off this pairing, with Angel Shark ( Maxmillion Farm )( 11-2 ) and Chai Command a few lengths back.

Off the turn for home, and with three sixteenth of a mile to run, Emotionless had separated from Diluted at the rail, and while the Team 7 Illusions entry fanned wide off the turn, a wide gap opened between runners for Diluted and Bejarano who wasted no time getting her into the gap.

Into the final sixteenth and Diluted put her head in front for the first time and not a minute to soon as the field was starting to bunch up for this final push. Diluted would stop the clock in a final time of 1:46.06, giving both trainer and jockey their first ever DMR Oak’s title. It would be this bay fillies second Graded company win, and just her first ever Grade I victory.

Closing late and stealing Emotionless’ thunder at the line would be Angel Shark who was full of kick on the outside in her drive to the wire. She would finish a mere head in front for the place money, irking a group of four close finishers. Behind Emotionless, separated by under a tenth of a second were Illustrious Cat, Trippi Tip Toe and the late closing Chai Command. Rounding out the field behind this group of talent were post time favorite Smokey Stover’s Na Pali ( 3-1 )who most thought would perform a slight bit better in this one. Laffer ( Our Athletes )( 7-2) and Antivenom ( Fractious )( 8-1) would complete the field. From first to last there was only a different of just better then a half a second, proving just how talented a field this was in the end. The chase for the Breeders Cup is definitely starting to heat up once again.

Track: Firm 
Time: :47²  1:10³  1:34  1:46

$2 Mutuel Prices: 

$1 Exacta: 3 – 5 Paid 45.90 
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 5 – 10 Paid 337.40 

Scratched: Warmed Up

Duffer.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES