The CCA Oaks (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
July 24, 2021

The CCA Oaks will run for the 18th time on Saturday, but I will venture to say that this will be the first time in its history that nearly half of the field ran in at least one of the Triple Crown races. It was an active year for fillies on the KYD path, and the one that may have started it all is not even here! We will have three of those horses in this field, one of which is also the defending KYO winner. So, how can you not be excited for this race this year? Looking back at last year, the race was won by Odd Trek, a horse that had a great summer but was never able to sustain any longevity and this would be her last win. She’s now retired. Let’s take a look at this impressive field of eight!

#1- Naples (Arindel, ridden by D Davis)- The reigning KYO champion started off hot for Arindel, winning her first three races under his guidance, with two prep races at OP that led up to the KYO. With other fillies getting attention running against the males and having success with it, Naples would have her chance to do the same in the BEL, but it would be a race where she’d never get going. The bigger disappointment for the trainer was likely the DEL Oaks at the start of the month, where she faded to fourth after setting the pace. The track was only good then, too, so that may have played a small role.

#2- Power Walk (Mb Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Mb Stables didn’t need to get Power Walk into the KYD, given the other talent that he had in his barn, but that did not stop him from trying. After she impressively beat the boys in the AR Derby, it was off to the KYD and she ran well there, too, earning the fourth place check. It could be fair to wonder what would have happened if she went to the KYO, instead. Her last start was the Acorn, and she hit the board again, running third. Expect another fine effort here.

#3- Lady Narloff (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S Ryan)- Hopefully this one won’t be too star struck in the gate. She’s had a fine career thus far, winning three of eight, and made her graded debut in her last outing, running second on a track listed as good in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes at WO. While her career is heading in the right direction, she has never been run against this type of opposition before. Must be at her absolute best.

#4- E Road (Fractious, ridden by A Cedillo)- This filly is not one of those horses that ran in a TC race, but the trainer did put her in one of the prep races for it, as she took part in the BG Stakes in April. That result probably showed the trainer that she should stick to running against fillies, as she has done much better that way. Ran in the KYO, and placed second to Naples as the trainer watched one he used to own hold off the one he kept. She was okay in the Acorn in her last start, but it is not the type of start that is going to get people too excited. She won’t be the favorite here, but it is in her wheelhouse to pull off.

#5- Princess Jasmine (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by Ru Gonzalez)- Prior trainer Aer Stables put this one on the KYD trail instead of the KYO, and after Mo Mentum Farm picked her up for $750.000, he was happy to keep that going as she is the only in here who ran in all three TC races. Princess Jasmine was not a factor in the KYD, running near the back, but improved in the PRK, and then got a little better in the BEL. He was not done there, though, entering in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes last month and this is where the biggest disappointment likely came. Now, Princess Jasmine is back to running against fillies for the first time since January. That’s also the last time she won.

#6- Intolerable (Mb Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- The trainer has been just fine running this filly against her own gender throughout her career, and she has had a lot of success in doing so. Four of her thirteen starts have been wins, and she has hit the board in all of them. Most commonly she is seen finishing second. Early in her career, she was a turf sprinter, but adapted well to the surface and distance switch that came in February. Ran third in the KYO, and followed it up by winning the Summertime Oaks later in May at SA.

#7- Sundress (Smokey Stover, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Smokey Stover paid a lot of money to purchase La Terrifiant from Our Athletes, so he will be hoping that Sundress can follow the lead of the greatest female earner in game history. After winning the Acorn, Smokey Stover paid $1,500.000 to add her to his stable, and she made her debut with him earlier this month in the DEL Oaks, but only placed fifth. Prior to the Acorn, she was fifth in the KYO, and won the Grade 1 Ashland. Smokey will get her to bounce back from the DEL Oaks, don’t worry.

#8- Shining Moments (RNP Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- This Creepy Time filly has been able to win, doing so in five of her nine starts. Winning is something that she has been doing alot of lately, as she is currently riding a three race winning streak. She missed out on the KYO, as the prep races did not go quite the way that she would have wanted, but now she is a better horse. Recently, she won the $200.000 Critical Eye for NY-breds, and then took the Mother Goose at BEL last month. It might be easy to overlook her with some of the other names here, but she is no less capable than any of them.

Prediction: 1-5-2-7 (I feel this is as wide open as the two year stake I covered on Wednesday! Great field!)

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES