Saratoga Picks | Coaching Club American Oaks 2024

Aaron previews the 2024 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) from Saratoga Race Course & gives his top win pick from the featured race Saturday at The Spa.

Will Thorpedo Anna continue her division domination as the heavy favorite? Who is most likely to upset the Kentucky Oaks (G1) champion?

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The press release:

Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s Thorpedo Anna returns to the scene of her dominant Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn victory to attempt her third consecutive Grade 1-victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The CCA Oaks is slated as Race 11 on Saturday’s 12-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George in Race 10. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. 

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Trained by Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna seeks to maintain her place atop the sophomore filly rankings on the heels of a tremendous spring that saw her notch three graded stakes victories, led by open-lengths romps in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 3 at Churchill Downs and the aforementioned Acorn on June 7 here as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

The daughter of Fast Anna helped provide McPeek with the historic feat of training both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby winner in the same year, posting her 4 3/4-length victory one day before Mystik Dan captured the “Run for the Roses.” The bay filly, often referred to by McPeek as a “grizzly bear,” earned her place in the Oaks starting gate with a similar dominant effort in the Grade 2 Fantasy in March at Oaklawn Park.

With three strong graded victories on her resume, Thorpedo Anna entered the Acorn as the heavy favorite in a field of eight that included returning rival Leslie’s Rose. Piloted by regular rider Brian Hernandez, Jr., Thorpedo Anna attended the pace set by Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Just F Y I before taking command with ease in the turn. She powered home strongly from the rallying Leslie’s Rose and, despite losing a shoe in the first turn, won by 5 1/2 lengths geared down in a final time of 1:49.02.

Following her eye-catching victory, Thorpedo Anna has remained at Saratoga to prepare for the CCA Oaks, and has worked regularly over the Spa’s Oklahoma training track, most recently covering five furlongs in 1:01.55 in company with Grade 3-placed Gould’s Gold Saturday. McPeek described the effort as a, “nice, solid work,” and added that the talented bay is right at home at Saratoga.

“She’s done great here and she goes out the first set. She’s been happy,” said McPeek. “She does everything we ask her. She likes her work and she’s an easy filly to be around.”

The sizeable filly is an imposing athlete on the racetrack, and stands out against her female rivals as a heftier individual that more resembles the colts of her crop. McPeek said those physical attributes have helped Thorpedo Anna to reach her levels of dominance.

“She eats extremely well, which is not something that all fillies do,” McPeek explained. “She’s aggressive in the feed tub at night, and that makes our job a lot easier when she’s like that.”

Hernandez, Jr. has the call again from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher brings two contenders in search of a record-extending ninth CCA Oaks victory, entering Grade 1-winners Leslie’s Rose [post 4, John Velazquez] and Candied [post 1, Manny Franco].

Whisper Hill Farm’s Grade 1 Ashland-winner Leslie’s Rose finished a game second last out to Thorpedo Anna in the Acorn, improving markedly from a distant off-the-board finish over sloppy and sealed footing the Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Into Mischief earned her way into the Oaks with her three-length Ashland triumph, along with a third in the Grade 2 Davona Dale in March at Gulfstream.

In the Acorn, Leslie’s Rose saved ground in third early under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and put in a strong three-wide bid in the far turn, but was no match for Thorpedo Anna that day and settled for second 5 1/2 lengths back while besting Power Squeeze by 1 1/4 lengths for place honors.

Pletcher said he was pleased to see Leslie’s Rose bounce back from a lackluster Kentucky Oaks performance.

“Same as always, very consistent,” said Pletcher of her training. “The only thing we’ve seen with her is that she doesn’t like a wet track. Unfortunately, that’s what we got in the Oaks, but she rebounded well and gave us a good race in the Acorn. She was second best on the day, but to her credit, she ran a very good race.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied scored a redemptive victory last out with a 4 1/2-length romp over next-out Grade 2 Delaware Handicap-winner Honor D Lady in the 1 1/16-mile Listed Lady’s Secret on June 8 at Monmouth Park. The daughter of Candy Ride posted a strong 2-for-3 juvenile campaign with a win in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland and a close third-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park.

This year, Candied finished fourth to Leslie’s Rose in the Ashland and was on the outside looking in at the Oaks when landing on the also-eligible list. She did not draw into the field and was away from the races until her win in the Lady’s Secret.  

“It was good to get her back [to the winner’s circle] and it was frustrating not to get in the Oaks with her, so it’s good to get her back on course,” said Pletcher. “Hopefully that sets her up to make a big move forward.”

Pletcher added he welcomes another swing at Thorpedo Anna.

“We need to move forward, and I think with both fillies we are in a position to do that,” said Pletcher. “Sometimes strange things happen in Saratoga.”

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes and Cambron Equine’s graded stakes-winner Intricate [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione] seeks her first win since taking the Grade 2 Golden Rod in November at Churchill for trainer Brendan Walsh.

The daughter of Gun Runner graduated impressively at second asking in October at Keeneland ahead of a facile 5 1/4-length victory in the Golden Rod, where Thorpedo Anna finished second in her lone career defeat. Intricate followed with a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds Race Course en route to a fifth in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March.

Intricate was away from the races until her latest outing when a close second to Our Pretty Woman in the 1 1/16-mile Monomoy Girl on June 15 at Churchill. The $280,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Complex Analysis, a full-sister to graded stakes-placed Abraham.

Completing the Saratoga field is Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Big Tufff Stables, Steve Adkisson and Tommy Humphries’ stakes-placed Barbratina [post 2, Junior Alvarado], who makes her first start for conditioner George Weaver on the heels of a determined head victory in a nine-furlong optional claimer on June 1 at Churchill.