Competitive field of eight entered in CCA Oaks

Boasting a roster of past champions that reads like a who’s who of sophomore
fillies — from Vagrancy and Top Flight to Shuvee and Ruffian, Davona Dale and
Sky Beauty to My Flag and Ashado — the $300,000
Coaching
Club American Oaks (G1) will be run for the 93rd time on Saturday, the final
graded stakes race at Belmont Park before racing moves upstate to Saratoga.

Hightap will go for the graded hat trick in the CCA Oaks (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) A field of eight three-year-old fillies is set to go postward in the 1 1/4-mile event, headed by dual Grade 3 winner HIGHTAP (Tapit). The Steve Asmussen trainee comes into the CCA Oaks off scores in the Dogwood S. (G3) at Churchill Downs and the Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows, and will get a jockey switch to Edgar Prado for this one. “Other than the race at Hot Springs (when she was seventh in the March 15 Honeybee [G3]), where she bruised her foot, her last four starts for us have been perfect,” assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. “She broke her maiden and won an allowance at the Fair Grounds, then had that off race, but her last two races have been great. She’s training beautifully and she’s moving in the right direction.” Hightap will be making her New York debut in the CCA Oaks, as will WYNNING RIDE (Candy Ride [Arg]), who has spent most of her career in California. The Bob Baffert charge, who was second in the Hollywood Oaks (G1) and fourth in the Moccasin S. last year, traveled north of the border to take her chances in the Woodbine Oaks on June 7, just missing third by a nose after running five wide, and will also have a new rider in the saddle when Kent Desormeaux takes up the reins.

“She didn’t run like we expected at Woodbine,” said Baffert, who will be
inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame this August at Saratoga. “But it was such a
long trip, and since she’s been back in New York she’s been training great. It’s
a Grade 1, $300,000, and I think she’s up to it.”

DON’T FORGET GIL (Kafwain) is no stranger to Belmont, having taken her maiden
debut by a half-length there on October 8. Conditioned by Mark Hennig, the dark
bay miss has so far this season added a win in the Florida Oaks (G3) and a
runner-up effort in the Comely S. (G2) to her line. Don’t Forget Gil was
scheduled to make her return off an unplaced effort in the May 15 Black-Eyed
Susan S. (G2) in the Mother Goose S. (G1) on June 27, but was withdrawn the day
of the race with an elevated temperature. Rajiv Maragh retains the mount.

LIVIN LOVIN (Birdstone) is the only other graded winner in the field, having
captured the Tempted S. (G3) as a juvenile. The Steve Klesaris runner was
entered in both the Delaware Oaks (G2) and Delaware H. (G2) this past weekend,
but her trainer opted to skip those events in favor of the CCA Oaks. She’s made
just one start this season, running fourth by 2 3/4 lengths in the Acorn S. (G1)
on June 6, and will be looking to move forward here under Ramon Dominguez.

“I think her first race this year was a good one,” Klesaris said, “and I
think this is a good spot for her.”

Other contenders in the CCA Oaks include U.A.E. Oaks queen DEVOTEE (Elusive
Quality) and CASANOVA MOVE (Langfuhr), runner-up in the Davona Dale S. and
Bonnie Miss S. (G2) earlier in the season and third in the Black-Eyed Susan and
Acorn in her past two. Dual stakes winner WHAT A PEAR (E Dubai) and last-out
allowance/optional claiming victress FUNNY MOON (Malibu Moon) round out the
field.