WO Oaks Stakes
WO Race #5 1 1/8m Dirt Stake
Purse $500.000 For Fillies Three Years Old Foaled In Canada.

1 Cheap Shot Mo Mentum Farm Moran D 123 —

With a purse of $500.000, it just goes to show what an advantage these State bred races are to the breeders with only six going to post and very little of the form you would expect to see for a purse this big. The first of the runners here hasn’t even seen the main track since her debut running on turf since then and winning two, both of them this season. She closed hard last time to be a good second in the OB Distaff over the mile, so if she goes ok on the surface, the trip should not be a problem. It would be a stretch to see her winning but a top three place would bring a good return, so she has every right to take her chance.

2 Lonely Is The Night Luz International Vazquez R A 123 —

Broke her maiden at the start of the year and has since shown some nice improvement winning the Monomoy Girl last time. Her works are strong, she gets a great gate, and her form is good enough to make her a winning chance.

3 Lady Yark Mo Mentum Farm Silvera Ru 123 —

The second stable runner and possibly the better of the two, on dirt at least, she stepped up from her claiming win two back to take an optional claimer on this track last time and is in good form heading into this good prize. The trip shouldn’t be a problem, and her works are in the ballpark putting her right in the picture.

4 People First Mb Stables Van Dyke D 123 —

She has taken four goes this year to break her maiden but did so last time out in good style at LS. Working as well if not better than most, you would expect her to be good enough to be competitive here, and if she gets a nice trip near the speed she could well add to her single win.

5 Special Constable Asgar Salles L 123 —

There’s a bit more to work on with this filly as far as form goes, as she has placed twice at stakes level this year and ran pretty well to be a closing eighth in the GP Oaks just three lengths off the winner. She won over this course and distance last time, which is always a plus, and the small field may help her closing style which is so hard to get right on this engine.

6 Grand Bloom Mb Stables Ortiz I Jr 123 —

The winner of three from five, she won over this trip last time at FE making all the running and may use the wide gate to try and do the same today. I can see her leading and her stable mate stalking, and they may end up fighting it out if the rest give them too much leeway.

SUMMARY

A difficult race to weigh up and it is often best just to go with the champion breeder in these races, but I rather like Lonely Is The Night to run a big race today. She will be my first choice getting over the top of the Mb pair with Lady Yark right in the mix.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded