Hollywood Park has invited 14 fillies, including four international
representatives, to the $700,000 American Oaks (G1) on July 5. The 1 1/4-mile
turf test is now in its eighth running.
Prominent American-based fillies on the list include Sands Point S. (G2)
winner GOZZIP GIRL (Dynaformer); Honeymoon H. (G2) heroine WELL MONIED (Maria’s
Mon); Providencia S. (G2) scorer ACTING LADY (Theatrical [Ire]), most recently
second in the Honeymoon; Senorita S. (G3) victress MRS KIPLING (Ire) (Exceed and
Excel); and Appalachian S. (G3) queen AFTERNOON STROLL (Stroll), who comes off a
third in the American One Thousand Guineas at Arlington Park.
Irish horseman Dermot Weld, who shipped Dimitrova to win the 2003 American
Oaks, is responsible for two invitees — Group 2-placed RARE RANSOM (Oasis Dream
[GB]), fourth in the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) in her latest venture,
and DANCE PASS (Sadler’s Wells), who finished second to the colt Ard Na Greine
(Galileo [Ire]) in Saturday’s Martin Molony S. at Limerick.
Britain’s own Henry Cecil could dispatch APPLE CHARLOTTE (Royal Applause
[GB]), the winner of the Swettenham Stud Fillies’ Trial S. and a near-miss
second in the Lord Weinstock Memorial S. last time out.
From another corner of the globe comes the New Zealand-based filly PUTTANESCA
(Bertolini). Successful in the Royal S. (NZ-G2) going about 1 1/4 miles at
Ellerslie, the Vanessa Hillis trainee subsequently placed a close second in the
Desert Gold S. (NZ-G3) and third in the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (NZ-G2).
After a 10-week freshening, she recently returned to post a pair of near-miss
efforts versus lesser company, likely tighteners in advance of her major target.
Also receiving invitations are Regret S. (G3) runner-up THE BEST DAY EVER
(Brahms); Edgewood S. second MAGICAL AFFAIR (Giant’s Causeway), exiting a fourth
to Gozzip Girl in the Sands Point; the respective third and fourth from the
Honeymoon, LEXLENOS (Ire) (Intikhab) and CENTURY PARK (General Meeting); and
THIRD DAWN (Sky Mesa), runner-up in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and third in the
Hollywood Oaks (G2) on synthetic surfaces.