CCA Oaks J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES

PREVIEWS

Even with the defection of Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), Saturday's Coaching

Club American Oaks (G1) is turning into a one-horse affair. The 1 1/4-mile

Belmont test drew a field of seven, but OCTAVE (Unbridled's Song) is clearly the

best. The Todd Pletcher charge broke a five-race seconditis streak when taking

the nine-furlong Mother Goose S. (G1) last out by a half-length, and looks

poised to add a second Grade 1 to her record with this one. The gray miss has

earned consecutive triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings for her past two starts,

including a 104 figure for her Kentucky Oaks (G1) placing behind Rags to Riches, and will keep John

Velazquez aboard for this race.

The main question about the CCA Oaks is not who will win, but who will run

second. We're tabbing the lightly raced LEAR'S PRINCESS (Lear Fan) to fill that

spot. The Kiaran McLaughlin-conditioned bay lass is undefeated from three career

starts so far, breaking her maiden on Keeneland's Polytrack before taking an

allowance and the Tweedside S. in her past two on Belmont's turf. She'll be

making her dirt debut here, but has been working well over Saratoga's training

track. Even though Lear's Princess is making her fourth career start in a Grade

1 test, this is a pretty weak field except for the top one and she could earn an

easy placing. Eibar Coa has the call.

Godolphin's FOLK (Quiet American) is something of an enigma. The bay lass was

a major force during the early part of the year, taking the U.A.E. One Thousand

Guineas and U.A.E. Oaks at Nad al Sheba, but was obviously out of her depth when

taking on the boys in the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) last out. She finished a

well-beaten 10th on that day nearly four months ago and hasn't been seen in

competition since. Folk showed up on the Belmont Park worktab in late June, and

broke her maiden by 10 1/4 front-running lengths at Aqueduct last November. She

could relish the return to the filly ranks and challenge for it all, but we'll

give her a race off the defeat and long break. Mike Luzzi will be aboard.

COY COYOTE (Honour and Glory) ended her juvenile season with a nice win in

the Mazarine Breeders' Cup S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine in late September, and made

her 2007 bow a second in Monmouth Park's Without Feathers S. last out. The

Michael Dickinson trainee earned a 97 Speed rating for that start, which she

probably needed after the layoff, as well as a 99 BRIS E2 Pace figure. Coy

Coyote might complete the bottom of the gimmicks under Fernando Jara. HUMBLE

JANET (Humble Eleven) was claimed in April by Steve Asmussen and has since

captured an allowance at Churchill Downs and run second in the Iowa Oaks (G3).

The bay three-year-old isn't in the same class as our top three, but she could

earn a check.

Neither WOW ME FREE (Menifee) nor ROSIE'S ATTITUDE (Aptitude) appear fast

enough to stay in touch with these.