2023 Del Mar Oaks Preview & FREE Picks | Anisette Looks To Stay Undefeated On American Turf

Aaron previews the 2023 Del Mar Oaks (G1) from Del Mar, then gives his top picks & long shots from the Saturday feature race for 3-year-old fillies routing 1 1/8 miles.

The Leonard Powell-trained Anisette looks to stay undefeated on American turf after winning the local prep for this, the San Clemente Stakes (G2). Is she a lock here? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

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The press release:

The 67th edition of the Grade I, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks has drawn a field of 10 for its nine-furlong run out of Del Mar’s unique infield chute on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

It will go as Race 8 on Saturday’s 10-race program.

The likely favorite in Del Mar’s 3-year-old filly championship is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Anisette, a stretch-running daughter of the Irish stallion Awtaad who has gone two-for-two in a pair of stateside starts this year since coming over from a brief 2-year-old campaign in England.

French expat Leonard Powell does the training for Anisette. He put Umberto Rispoli up on her at Del Mar on July 22 in the Grade II San Clemente Stakes and that resulted in a two and a half-length tally. So naturally enough, Rispoli will be back up Saturday.

The two chief threats to the top one appear to be the New York shipper Be Your Best and the Irish-bred Impact Warrior, who made her American debut at Del Mar July 23 and ran an impressive second in a two-turn grass allowance test.

Be Your Best, by the British sire Muhaarar, is owned by Michael Ryan and trained by Horacio De Paz. They’ve gotten Del Mar’s leading rider, Juan Hernandez, to sign on for the Oaks run.

Impact Warrior wears the silks of Martin Schwartz and races out of the barn of Phil D’Amato. Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux was up for the daughter of Saxon Warrior’s recent Del Mar run and he’ll be up once more Saturday.

Here’s the full field for the Oaks from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:

1. Peter Redekop’s And Tell Me Nolies (Antonio Fresu, 12-1)
2. Perry and Ramona Bass’ Window Shopping (Hector Berrios, 6-1)
3. Diamond 100 Racing Club and Madaket Stable’s Infinite Diamond (Mike Smith, 12-1)
4. Spendthrift Farm’s Ruby Nell (Edwin Maldonado, 6-1)
5. Anisette (5/2)
6. Impact Warrior (4-1)
7. George Krikorian’s Big Pond (Ramon Vazquez, 8-1)
8. Reddam Racing’s Absolutely Zero (Mario Gutierrez, 50-1)
9. Be Your Best (4-1)
10. Strand Beach’s Paris Secret (Joe Bravo, 15-1)