Window Shopping Back on Turf for Del Mar Oaks

The various Oaks stakes for 3-year-old fillies in Southern California have never lent themselves to a series, not even when Hollywood Park was still around and the circuit actually had a Santa Anita, Hollywood, and Del Mar Oaks. Santa Anita and Hollywood carded their Oaks on the main track, while the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) has been on the turf since 1965.

Today, the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) is a dirt race that can lead to the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and the Hollywood Oaks has been renamed the Summertime Oaks (G2) and is held at Santa Anita on dirt in June. Champion Songbird , the last horse to win the Santa Anita and Summertime Oaks, in 2016, shipped to Saratoga instead of running at Del Mar and captured the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1) on dirt.

Thus, Window Shopping poses an intriguing entry in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks Aug. 19 because she competed in both the Santa Anita Oaks and Summertime Oaks. She had a troubled trip in the Santa Anita Oaks and still finished third. Without trouble she won the Summertime Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths for trainer Richard Mandella.

Window Shopping debuted at a mile on turf last November at Del Mar, finishing sixth after getting sandwiched at the start. Mandella tried to bring her back on turf March 17 at Santa Anita, but the race was moved to the dirt and she streaked home on top by 16 1/2 lengths.

“She beat turf maidens very easily, but we didn’t know for sure if it was because they couldn’t run on the dirt or what it was,” Mandella said.

Now Mandella will get a chance to see just what the daughter of American Pharoah really thinks about turf. Hector Berrios, who rode Window Shopping in the Santa Anita and Summertime Oaks, will be back aboard from post 2.

Mandella has also entered Ruby Nell , a daughter of Bolt d’Oro coming off back-to-back wins on turf. This will be her stakes debut, and Mandella has named Edwin Maldonado to ride from post 4.

The July 22 San Clemente Stakes (G2T) at a mile on turf is Del Mar’s major prep for the Del Mar Oaks. Anisette , And Tell Me Nolies , and Paris Secret , who finished first, third, and ninth in the San Clemente, return.

Anisette should receive plenty of support, being two for two, both on turf, in the U.S. for trainer Leonard Powell. She started three times on synthetic surfaces in Great Britain, winning a restricted novice stakes by four lengths at Wolverhampton last December.

Favored at 2-1 in the San Clemente, Anisette came from well back, just as she had in a May 29 Santa Anita allowance event against her elders, and scored by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:34.84 under Umberto Rispoli, who will be back aboard from post 5.

“There was plenty of speed, and we were looking for the same kind of run as last time,” Powell said after the San Clemente. “She was very impressive again and a fast time, 1:34 and four. Olders earlier went 1:35.”

And Tell Me Nolies not only ran a good third in the San Clemente in her turf debut, she is a grade 1 winner at Del Mar and competed in the Santa Anita and Summertime Oaks, with the Kentucky Oaks in between.

Last year at 2, And Tell Me Nolies won three consecutive races: a maiden event at Del Mar, the Del Mar Debutante (G1), and the Chandelier Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. Though the daughter of Arrogate hasn’t won since the Chandelier, And Tell Me Nolies reeled off seconds in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) and Santa Anita Oaks before heading to Kentucky for trainer Peter Miller. In the Kentucky Oaks, And Tell Me Nolies had to check sharply going into the first turn, finishing 12th. She ran last in the Summertime Oaks after again encountering traffic.

Antonio Fresu rode And Tell Me Nolies in her San Clemente third and returns for the Del Mar Oaks from the rail.

Paris Secret is one of two Irish-breds from the Phil D’Amato barn in the Del Mar Oaks, the other being Impact Warrior . Amato is always dangerous in Southern California graded turf stakes, especially with Irish imports.

Paris Secret won her only race in Ireland and in four U.S. starts won the April 29 Providencia Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita. She had to check in the final turn of the San Clemente and race wide. Joe Bravo will ride Paris Secret for the first time, and they drew post 10.

Impact Warrior has started only once for D’Amato following four races in Ireland, with one victory. She ran second in an allowance/optional claimer July 29 at Del Mar under jockey Kent Desormeaux, who returns from post 6.

Infinite Diamond , Big Pond , Absolutely Zero , and Be Your Best , all stakes winners, round out the field.