Race Previews Santa Anita Park Preview & FREE Picks | American Oaks 2023 December 24, 2023 Anisette (Benoit Photo) Race Previews Santa Anita Park Preview & FREE Picks | American Oaks 2023 December 24, 2023 By: Curtis "Magic" Kalleward twitteremail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article Aaron previews the 2023 American Oaks (G1) from Santa Anita Park, then gives his top picks from this Opening Day event.Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section! SMASH the *Thumbs Up* ~ HIT *Subscribe* ~ RING the *Notification* bellThe press release: With solid year-end credentials in hand, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Anisette seeks the biggest win of her career as heads a field of seven sophomore fillies in Tuesday’s Grade I, $300,000 American Oaks at a mile and quarter over the Santa Anta turf. Santa Anita Full Card Plays Available Now There’s a reason we’re the #1 trusted source for premium racing picks & info. Find Out Why Trained by Leonard Powell, English-bred Anisette’s only previous try at the Oaks distance came two starts back in Santa Anita’s Grade II Rodeo Drive on Oct. 7, a race in which she finished a close second. With regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard, she cut back in distance to one mile on grass Nov. 5, finishing second by 3 ¼ lengths in the Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes. A dedicated deep closer, Anisette rallied for a come-from-behind win in her one mile turf U.S. debut May 29 and she followed that up with impressive scores in both the mile turf Grade II San Clemente July 22 and the mile and one eighth Grade I Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 19. One for three in England, Anisette has three wins and a pair of seconds from her five stateside starts for Powell and will hope to be rolling late on Tuesday. Irish-bred Be Your Best is another who would prefer to have a fast pace to exploit in Tuesday’s Oaks. In her first and only assignment versus male competition, she was last of 13 for most of the trip in the Grade II Twilight Derby at a mile and one eighth on turf here Nov. 4 and came rolling on the far outside to finish eighth, beaten just 1 ¾ lengths under Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rides her back. A well beaten ninth in her only try at a mile and one quarter four starts back in the Belmont Oaks Invitational July 8, she shipped west to finish second, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Anisette in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks Aug. 19. Trained by Horacio De Paz and owned by Michael Ryan, Be Your Best is 10-2-2-1 overall with earnings of $284,250. THE GRADE I AMERICAN OAKS AT SANTA ANITA PARK, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDERRace 5 of 11 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PTKhinjani—Lanfranco Dettori—124 Anisette—Umberto Rispoli—124 Grace Period—Jose Lezcano—124 Elounda Queen—Juan Hernandez—124 Sakura Flavor—Antonio Fresu—124 Be Your Best—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—124 Musical Mischief—Flavien Prat—124 Join the Inner Circle Sign up for exclusive 10% discount on orders, plus be the first to access our daily free and premium horse racing picks, articles, podcasts, and more! Sign Up
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