coaching club american oaks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lightly Raced Runners Loom Large in CCA Oaks

While two-time GSW Tonalist’s Shape (Tonalist) is favored at 9-5 on the morning line for Saturday’s GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, she’ll have to fend off several well-bred and promising up-and-comers if she’s to get the job done.

Perhaps the most formidable challenger is WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Paris Lights (Curlin). The Bill Mott trainee was third in a sloppy-track sprint at Gulfstream on debut Apr. 26, but took a big step forward to romp on the stretch-out at Churchill May 31 and then paired up 85 Beyer Speed Figures when taking a first-level allowance June 27 in similarly facile fashion. That 85 Beyer is the field’s best last-out number and is only eclipsed by an 89 and 87 earned by Tonalist’s shape several starts back. Mott, who won this race in 1997 with Ajina, will also saddle Godolphin’s versatile GII Fair Grounds Oaks and GIII Wonder Again S. third Antoinette (Hard Spun).

Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) also carries the WinStar Stablemates silks and was third in her debut, going a mile at Santa Anita May 17 for Bob Baffert. The $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfrstream grad aired by 6 1/4 lengths on the stretch-out June 14. Baffert took the 2017 CCA Oaks by a head over Mott-trained Elate (Medaglia d’Oro).

The Chad Brown stable took the GIII Peter Pan S. for sophomore boys with Country Grammer (Tonalist) on opening day, and could double up with Altaf (Medaglia d’Oro) here. The Shadwell homebred was just seventh in her grassy unveiling in Florida Apr. 2, but uncorked a visually impressive sweeping rally to don cap and gown by 6 1/2 lengths under the Twin Spires May 23.

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Turf-Bred Altaf Going After Kentucky Oaks Points In CCA Oaks

When reading the pedigree of Shadwell Farm's Grade 1, $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks aspirant Altaf, one would be led to believe that she would likely find a home on grass. But such has not been the case thus far.

Following a seventh-place effort on debut over the lawn at Gulfstream Park, the bay daughter of Medaglia d'Oro raced at Churchill Downs over the main track, which appeared to make a huge difference as she powered home a 5 ¼ length-victor under jockey Joel Rosario.

Trained by Chad Brown, Altaf is out of the Smart Strike broodmare Fawaarek, who was a winner on grass. Her grand dam was three-time turf Grade 1-winner and 2002 Champion Turf Mare Golden Apples, who produced graded stakes winner on turf Habaya, as well as turf graded stakes-placed Hatheer.

“Golden Apples was a very good turf mare. I guess the Medaglia d'Oro is coming out in her a bit,” said Shadwell Farms' general manager Rick Nichols. “She had worked well on the grass. Chad thought that's where she should start out at. But she didn't seem to like it all that much. The jockey [Joel Rosario] liked her the day he rode her, but he too didn't think she cared for it that much. We brought her back on the dirt and it was impressive.”

How impressive? Enough to really catch Nichols' attention.

“Once you've seen as many horses as I have over the years, it's hard for me to be too impressed, and I was impressed,” Nichols said.

The Coaching Club American Oaks, offering 100-40-20-10 points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, will be quite the step up in class from Altaf's maiden victory. But Nichols said that his filly is up for the task. Brown won last year's CCA Oaks with Guarana, who in her prior start won the Grade 1 Acorn off of an impressive maiden victory.

“It's a big step, but I like the fact that we have a nice small field and Chad is very, very pleased with her,” said Nichols. “He loves her. He's always thought a lot of her. After that race, we all like her a little bit more.”

A big run on Saturday could result in Altaf targeting the lilies on the First Friday in September for the Kentucky Oaks.

“If she wins on Saturday and comes out of it well, we'll speak to Sheikh Hamdan and I'm sure he would love to give her a try in the Oaks,” Nichols said.

Altaf will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 3.

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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 To Feature Action From Saratoga, Monmouth, Woodbine

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host an all-graded-stakes Cross Country Pick 5, featuring action from Saratoga Race Course, Monmouth Park and Woodbine Racetrack.

Live coverage of all the races in the sequence for the first Saturday of the Saratoga summer meet will be available with America's Day at the Races on FS1 and MSG+.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Monmouth, located in Oceanport, New Jersey, will host the first two legs of the sequence, starting with the Grade 3, $300,000 Monmouth Cup for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles in Race 10 at 4:40 p.m. Eastern. As part of the Grade 1 Haskell undercard, the Monmouth Cup will see Joevia, the 2019 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes third-place finisher, return to the track where he broke his maiden in July 2018 and also where he captured last year's Long Branch. The Gregg Sacco trainee will be part of a 10-horse field that includes Global Campaign, the 2019 Grade 3 Peter Pan winner at Belmont Park who also ran third in last year's Grade 2 Jim Dandy for trainer Stanley Hough.

The action will continue at Monmouth for the Grade 1, $300,000 United Nations in Race 11 at 5:12 p.m. The 1 3/8-mile turf route will see Current, the third-place finisher in the Grade 2 Kitten's Joy Pan American in March, as part of a nine-horse field. Current, the Todd Pletcher trainee who captured the 2018 Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon, will go up against a field that includes Standard Deviation, who ran third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar for conditioner Graham Motion. Standard Deviation ran second this year in Qatar in the Group 1 H.H. The Amir Trophy.

An international flavor will be added to the Cross Country Pick 5 when it shifts to Woodbine for the Grade 2, $175,000 Royal North in Race 9 at 5:28 p.m. Summer Sunday, one of two entrants for trainer Stuart Simon, will look to repeat as winner in defending her 2019 victory. Summer Sunday was named Canada's champion female sprinter in 2019 and made her 5-year-old debut by running third in the Grade 3 Whimsical on June 21 at Woodbine. Simon will also saddle Sister Peacock in the six-furlong Royal North.

The penultimate leg will be Monmouth's signature race, the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell in Race 12 at 5:48 p.m. A “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Keeneland, the Haskell will also offer qualifying points to September's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby for the first time in history. The top four-finishers will receive 100-40-20-10 points towards the “Run for the Roses,” with seven sophomores competing at 1 1/8 miles.

Authentic, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite after starting his year with victories in the Grade 3 Sham and the Grade 2 San Felipe before running second in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on June 6. He will face a talented seven-horse field that includes the Pletcher trained Dr Post, who ran second to Tiz the Law in last month's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. The rest of the field includes Jesus' Team, Ancient Warrior, Fame To Famous, Lebda and NY Traffic.

Historic Saratoga Race Course will conclude the sequence with the third Grade 1, offering the $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in Race 10 at 6:16 p.m. Offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, the Coaching Club American Oaks will see multiple graded-stakes winner Tonalist's Shape, who boasts six wins from seven starts, sent out by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Baffert will send out will send out Crystal Ball, who graduated last out by 6 ¼ lengths on June 14 in a 1 1/16-miles maiden at Santa Anita. Antoinette, Altaf, Velvet Crush and Paris Lights will also attempt the 1 ¼-mile test.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, July 18:
Leg 1 – Monmouth, Race 10: Grade 3 Monmouth Park (4:40 p.m.)
Leg 2 – Monmouth, Race 11: Grade 1 United Nations (5:12 p.m.)
Leg 3 – Woodbine, Race 9: Grade 2 Royal North (5:28 p.m.)
Leg 4 – Monmouth, Race 12: Grade 1 Haskell (5:48 p.m.)
Leg 5 – Saratoga, Race 10: Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks (6:16 p.m.)

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‘Scary’ Good: Tonalist’s Shape Will Add Blinkers For CCA Oaks

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. believes he may have found the key to talented 3-year-old filly Tonalist's Shape, and just in time for Saturday's running of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

In her last several workouts, the Tonalist filly has sported blinkers. She'll don the new equipment on Saturday as well, which Joseph believes will help her step up against the competition.

“She's already proven she's a nice filly, but we needed a couple more lengths to be one of the top fillies,” Joseph said on Wednesday's media teleconference organized by the NTRA. “It's almost scary how good she worked in the blinkers. I even asked some of the clockers that I respect, like Mike Welsch, and everyone seems to think she's much better in the blinkers.”

On Tuesday, Tonalist's Shape had her first workout at Saratoga and clocked a bullet three furlongs in 34.26 seconds, more than two seconds faster than any other breeze at the distance.

“She's never been a fast work horse,” Joseph said, adding, “but the blinkers seem to have made all positive notes.”

Tonalist's Shape was entered in last weekend's G1 Ashland at Keeneland, but scratched out of that tough field (won by Speech in track-record time) to point to the nine-furlong CCA Oaks instead.

Both the Ashland, a 1 1/16-mile route, and the Coaching Club will over 170 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the first four finishers.

“The Coaching Club seems like a spot where we were likely to be the favorite,” said Joseph. “That doesn't mean we're going to win, but it gives her the best shot to do so.”

In her seven career starts, Tonalist's Shape has only been defeated once, when seventh behind eventual G1 winner Swiss Skydiver in the Gulfstream Park Oaks. Most recently, the filly won the 1 1/16-mile Hollywood Wildcat Stakes at Gulfstream on May 15 by 3 3/4 lengths.

Entries for the CCA Oaks will be taken Wednesday afternoon, with the field expected to include: Altaf (Chad Brown), Antoinette (Bill Mott), Crystal Ball (Bob Baffert), Paris Lights (Bill Mott), and Velvet Crush (Rodolphe Brisset).

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