Hoosier Philly enjoyed a tactical advantage when defeating Wet Paint by more than three lengths in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park last month, but will have to show more stamina in their rematch Saturday in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.
A loose-on-the-lead Hoosier Philly easily won the Monomoy Girl over a mile, a distance shorter than Wet Paint’s best. It was the first win for the gray since her authoritative win in the Golden Rod (G2) in November, but her staying power will be tested more in the nine-furlong CCA Oaks.
Prior to the Monomoy Girl, Wet Paint had reeled off three straight stakes wins at Oaklawn Park, including the Fantasy (G3), but was only fourth when favored in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), won by fellow Godolphin color bearer Pretty Mischievous. That rival is sidestepping the CCA Oaks in favor of the seven-furlong Test (G1) in early August.
Southlawn, who sprung a 7-1 upset in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) over Pretty Mischievous, finished a sub-par 10th of 14 in the Kentucky Oaks. Gambling Girl, on the other hand, nearly caught Pretty Mischievous in the Churchill fixture, missing by a neck to secure her third graded stakes placing.
“She always trained really well, but it seemed like she took her game to another level when she got to Churchill,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of Gambling Girl. She made a pretty good run at winning it and came up a couple strides short. She seems to be better the further she goes.”
The field is rounded out by Sacred Wish, the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) runner-up who was second against allowance foes last time, and She’s Lookin Lucky, who might have just enough speed to keep Hoosier Philly honest.
A competitive field of five fillies and mares will dash 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in the $200,000 Caress (G3).
Our Flash Drive, won the De La Rose S. at Saratoga last summer going longer, but has been a far more effective sprinter dating to the fall. She enters on a three-race win streak, including the Whimsical (G3) and Royal North (G2) at Woodbine earlier this term.
“I made the decision toward the latter part of last year to sprint her and she ran really well,” trainer Mark Casse said. “She’s won her last three in graded stakes sprinting. I’m a little concerned the Caress is a tad short for her, but we’ll see.”
Bubble Rock and Poppy Flower have traded decisions in their past two starts, with Poppy Flower getting the edge last time by a nose in the Intercontinental (G3). Wakanaka shortens up after running third in the Just a Game (G1) to In Italian, while Roses for Debra makes her stakes debut after back-to-back allowance wins at Pimlico and Belmont.
