The undefeated Kentucky Oaks-winning filly Malathaat returns to the track this Saturday at Saratoga to contest the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; the Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Curlin scared off all but three competitors in the nine-furlong contest. The G3 Caress is also carded for Saturday at the Spa, with New York-bred Robin Sparkles attempting to keep her win streak alive against a field of six.
Saratoga's graded stakes action kicks off on Friday afternoon with the G3 Lake George Stakes, in which trainer Chad Brown will saddle four of the nine starters. Interestingly, Centre Court, the dam of Lake George contender Navratilova (named for the famous tennis player), won the 2012 Lake George for trainer Rusty Arnold, who sends out Navratilova.
On the opposite coast, Saturday's Del Mar action features a graded stakes doubleheader on the turf, with the G2 Eddie Read and G2 San Clemente sharing the spotlight. Seven rivals line up in the Eddie Read, including G1 winner Smooth Like Strait and multiple G2 winner United, while a full field of 12 sophomore fillies will face off in the San Clemente.
The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring action from historic Saratoga Race Course as well as stakes competition from Woodbine Racetrack and Monmouth Park.
Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule (all times Eastern):
3:23 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga
Malathaat has proven herself more than capable in her five career starts thus far, able to both draw away from her competition and prevail in an absolute dogfight to the wire. The 3-year-old Curlin filly easily moved to the top of her division after out-battling Search Results in the Kentucky Oaks, after which trainer Todd Pletcher gave her a nice two-month break before bringing her back for this 1 1/8-mile contest.
The CCA Oaks drew just three competitors for Malathaat, the most accomplished of which is Clairiere for trainer Steve Asmussen. Another daughter of Curlin, this Stonestreet homebred ran fourth behind the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks and returned to run third in the G2 Mother Goose at Belmont last month, beaten 1 1/4 lengths after stumbling badly at the start.
Maracuja ran second in the G2 Gazelle to earn her way into the run for the lilies, but could do no better than seventh behind Malathaat on that day. The Rob Atras trainee will be making her first start since the Kentucky Oaks.
The field is completed by longshot Rockpaperscissors for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, a last-out allowance winner by 9 3/4 lengths at Indiana Grand. The Distorted Humor filly has reason to improve in her second start off a nine-month layoff, but will have to improve a lot to be competitive with this bunch.
6:13 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 3 Caress Stakes at Saratoga
After taking on and defeating open company last out, New York-bred Robin Sparkles returns with an attempt to step up her game to the graded stakes level in the Caress. Trained by Bruce Brown, the 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality is riding a two-race win streak and has not finished worse than second in her last eight starts.
The second choice on the morning line is Elizabeth M. Merryman's Caravel, a four-time stakes winner also riding a two-race win streak ahead of the Caress. Coming from off-the-pace is her game, but the inside post position may be a factor as the front-running Robin Sparkles has drawn immediately to her outside in post two.
8:30 p.m. – $250,000 Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar
Morning-line favorite Smooth Like Strait won the G1 Shoemaker Mile last out, but will need to stretch his speed another furlong against the older, longer-winded United to capture this Saturday's Eddie Read Stakes. The nine furlongs appeared just outside his scope when Smooth Like Strait was run down late in the G1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, but the form of that race's dead-heat winner Domestic Spending has certainly been nothing to downplay.
United won the 1 1/2-mile G3 San Luis Rey to kick off his 2021 campaign, but was a very dull fourth and last as the favorite last time out in the G2 Charles Whittingham Stakes. If anyone knows how to turn United's form around, however, it's his trainer Richard Mandella, and a sharp five-furlong work in 58 4/5 seconds on July 18 indicates the 6-year-old should be ready for this contest.
Trainer Phil D'Amato will enter a pair of Ontario-breds in Say the Word and Count Again. The former ran second behind Smooth Like Strait in the Shoemaker last out and was gaining late, so the extra furlong will be to his benefit in the Eddie Read. Count Again ran fourth behind Smooth Like Strait (third) in the Turf Classic, and will need to improve another length to beat that rival over the same distance here.
9:30 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar
Going Global has done nothing but win since her move stateside, and is the heavy favorite in this one-mile turf contest for 3-year-old fillies.
Closing Remarks has been the closest to the favorite in several of her efforts this year. She clipped heels at the start of the G3 Providencia last out and showed grit by coming six-wide from well off the pace to finish third. Another step forward after that effort could put her nearer the level of Going Global.
Here is a snapshot of the other weekend graded stakes in North America, courtesy of NTRA:
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