CT Oaks – Grade III
CT Race #4 7f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $500.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.
Well what a difference a few weeks make ! After stirrings among the trainers ranks over how the random draw seemed to be acting in a very un-random manner suddenly we see Mb Stables back on the inside draws and Smokey Stover scratching from the outside draw. That may be a story in itself but this game and this race is not about two of our most successful stables it is about all those that turn up every week and try for their moment of glory so lets get on and take a look at the runners for the CT Oaks.
1 Believe In Miracles TwinTowersRacing Bridgmohan S X
With just one win to her name and five losing efforts this year you could be forgiven for writing this one off but i feel that the trip may be important here and with an inside draw i wouldn’t be so hasty on dismissing her. Second in the Las Virgenes over a mile she was in front at the seven furlong pole after leading from a wide gate. Since that run back in February she weakened from another terrible draw in the Davona Dale and then took to the turf for a couple of runs. So as you see going back to February and adding her hard closing sixth last time you can certainly see the sunshine through the cracks in her form and i would be happy to take long odds each way.
2 Paris Pinnacle Party Mb Stables Velazquez J R
Things have certainly changed for the stable in the past week or two and again they get the perfect draw and may be adding to their improvement in results with this filly. The Forward Gal winner over this trip back in February she has done well enough since over a variety of trips to suggest this is a perfect race for her. It may not be as cut and dried as i make it sound but with the two draw i think we may see a further success for the stable.
3 Jenga Wood Duck Stables Lopez P
A nice gate for this one too but whilst she is a real workmanlike filly i just feel she may lack the class of one or two of the others. A game second in the Hendrie Stakes last time and also in the Beaumont back in April she clearly has the ability to grind it out with this class but i just wonder whether she has that final kick which will be needed to win. Her works are solid and her form is too so she does have a winning chance but i would be more inclined to put her in my Exacta’s and Trifecta’s.
4 Gazing Angie Night Rider Stables Cedillo A
The investment and enthusiasm of this trainer has never been in question and they are always willing to enter these races and give it a go. This fast filly is pretty consistent and whilst she may not have tasted success in graded company she may just have been waiting for a race over this trip. She was impressive in the Jersey Girl in the mud so any rain would certainly be a plus but her win before that in a big ticket CD allowance certainly suggests she is no one trick pony. The stable is going well i certainly expect her to be a main contender.
5 Theres No Doubt Angelos Stable Franco M
Claimed after a maiden win she went for the KYO and made the field but was handed a horror draw in that race and never really had a chance after a battling effort. There were no wails of injustice for her but her trainer has been careful to let her recover from those efforts and has given her a lighter campaign culminating in a win in the Fleet Treat Stakes over this trip last time. I like the way this one has been brought through her season and she may be ready for another crack at the big time here over a trip that should suit.
6 Thor Winning Link Stables Jaramillo E
Could the stable have a bit of Thunder here with a filly that has come a long way from a maiden win at lowly TUP back in February. Third in the Eight Belles over this trip closing hard from a similar draw she has done well enough in her two efforts since to make her a chance albeit a smaller one in this race. Tactics will be key from this draw as she could just get lost worse than midfield and she may not have the pace to beat some of these but with a bit of race engine luck she could squeeze a money finish.
7 Queen Mother Wood Duck Stables Ruiz Jo
The second runner from the stable and possibly the better of the two. Running in statebred races she built a nice record winning three in a row culminating in the Evening Jewel Stakes. Since then she was upped to open state company and has run two really nice races to be second in the Miss PS and third in the Victory Road. Only a little filly she looks the type to keep improving but a lot will depend on where she can sit for the first half of this race. With a bit of race engine luck she slots in mid-pack, one off and two or three length off the lead with a winning chance. Without she sits wide in the stalk and weakens late, only time will tell which scenario plays out.
8 Catori D J C Racing Stables Saez L
It is hard to overlook a grade one winner in a race like this but it is also difficult to be confident about how this filly will run. Fourth in the CCA Oaks and the Eight Belles looking a little one paced she looked far from that in the Acorn producing a strong finish to take a competitive race. She won the Cicada over this trip in the same time she failed to get top three in the Eight Belles so as you see she is a hard one to get a line on. Her best works and form give her a winning chance but her worst see’s her midfield at best, only time will tell which one we see.
9 Bronze Freak Asgar Hernandez R M
Gets the car park thanks to the scratching outside her and it did seem like the two best fillies in this race were handicapped with wide draws giving chances to those inside. The draw monster certainly hasn’t been kind to her in her career and once again she gets poorly treated in this race but she has overcome her apparent bad luck in the past and may be able to do so again. She won the Santa Ysabel back in March when wide then went on to run a cracker in the KYO, again from wide, to be a brilliant third. She was given a break and looked short of a run in the Victory Road but then came out to run a cracker in the Test with, yes you guessed it, another terrible draw. She will need some luck but if anyone deserves it is her and without the draw this one is the best in the race.
SUMMARY
Bronze Freak certainly deserves the win here after some great efforts from terrible draws but i fear the trend which i am starting to see and feel that Paris Pinnacle Party may be the one here. Theres No Doubt could be the biggest danger but this is an open race and any of them could win if things go their way.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
