Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 1 American Oaks comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California this Saturday, July 13. Three year old fillies will take to the track and go 1 1/4 miles on Hollywood Park’s turf track in search of the winner’s share of the $350,000 purse.
A field of eight three year old fillies will line up in the American Oaks – race 9 on Hollywood Park’s closing Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:00 PM. Here is a look into the credentials of all eight combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.
Emollient – Bill Mott trained Emollient has seven career starts with three wins and two second place finishes. She had a fifth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks behind Dreaming of Julia March 30 but bounced back in a big way with a terrific nine length win in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland at 6-1 odds April 6. She followed that with a sixth as 4-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes after stumbling at the start last time out at Pimlico May 17. Her other career results include an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream February 16 and a decent second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes as the 4-5 favorite at Aqueduct in November in her stakes debut. She has been hit or miss in her last four starts but does have some impressive results on her résumé. She makes her first start on turf Saturday and her first West Coast start for her legendary trainer.
Emotional Kitten – Wesley Ward trained filly makes her graded stakes debut Saturday after 10 starts produced three wins, a second and two third place finishes. She enters the American Oaks having won three of her last four starts – the best coming last time out in the minor Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico May 17. She has been impressive and should seriously challenge the field Saturday.
Sarach – Richard Mandella trained filly has eight career starts with three wins – two at the beginning of this year and both coming over one mile on turf – a MSW and an Allowance on this track and last time out in very impressive fashion at 8-1 odds in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap here June 8 when she led all the way. This after a pair of fifths – in her stakes debut at the China Doll Stakes here March 9 and the Grade 3 Providencia in April.
Scarlet Strike – Jerry Hollendorfer hopes to continue his success at the Hollywood Park meet when he sends out Scarlet Strike who has placed in all 12 career starts – two wins, five seconds and five third place finishes. She enters the American Oaks off consecutive runner-up finishes on this track – the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap last time out as 4-5 choice behind Sarach June 8 and in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes as odd-on-choice in May. She had a very impressive win as 2-1 favorite in the Grade 3 Providencia at Santa Anita April 6 after an OK third in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes March 2, another third in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel January 16, a second by a nose in the Blue Norther Stakes and a decent third in the Grade 3 Hollywood Starlet December 8. She has been at or near the top in each career start and Saturday shouldn’t be much different!
American Oaks betting at Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Macha – Jerry Hollendorfer trained filly is coming off an OK third in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap in her stakes debut. Before that was an Allowance score here May 17 and a pair of thirds in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita. She has two wins, one second and three third place finishes in eight career starts but has placed in five straight heading into this weekend. Legendary jockey Gary Stevens gets the mount Saturday.
Becky Lou – Matthew Chew trained British bred filly races for the third time on North American soil after five starts at home produced just one win. She debuted in North America April 18 and recorded an Allowance Optional Claiming score and went on to a respectable fourth in her only other North American start – the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap here June 8.
Wittgenstein – Irish bred Doug O’Neill trained filly had an Allowance score over Sweet Red Cat at Santa Anita March 21 after a pair of unflattering results – a sixth in the China Doll Stakes and a seventh in the Sweet Life Stakes. She has raced two graded stakes races since with poor results – a ninth in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes in April was followed by a seventh last time out in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap here June 8.
Topic – Neil Drysdale trained filly has six career starts with a win, a second and a third place finish. She steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday after six MSW starts. Last time out she finally broke maiden at Hollywood Park June 13 by 2 1/4 lengths.
