Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan is not the only grade 1-winning 3-year-old sent west for an opening-day stakes race at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.
Besides that colt, who returns to action in the Malibu Stakes (G1), recent Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) winner She Feels Pretty pursues a follow-up top-level stakes victory in the $300,000 American Oaks (G1T) against a dozen other 3-year-old fillies.
Also a grade 1 winner at 2 when she won the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, She Feels Pretty can surpass $1 million in earnings for owner Lael Stables with either a first- or a second-place finish in the American Oaks. On the heels of her six-length triumph in the Oct. 12 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup triumph at Keeneland, she will be favored to win against a lineup that includes Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes winner Kathynmarissa.
Equipped with blinkers for the first time in the QEII and kept behind horses early before shown daylight in the stretch by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, She Feels Pretty, trained by Cherie DeVaux, exploded to complete 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.50. Her final eighth of a mile was timed in :11.63.
Video: Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Presented by Dixiana (G1T)
Along with many in the field, she is racing the longest distance of her career in the 1 1/4-mile American Oaks. Only once has she raced beyond 1 1/8 miles when she weakened to third as the favorite in the 1 3/16-mile Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) in July. In that race, as in some of her other losses, the daughter of Karakontie pressed the pace and came up a bit empty in the lane.
Drawn in post 8 with five horses outside her and seven to her inside, Velazquez may be able to tuck her behind horses with cover.
The 1 1/4-mile distance would appear to pose no issue for Kathynmarissa, who pulled away to score by 2 1/2 lengths in the Sept. 11 Dueling Ground Oaks over 1 5/16 miles, one lap around the sweeping Kentucky Downs oval. The American Pharaoh filly has yet to win a graded stakes race but was second in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T) over the summer.
The Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb-owned runner also has experience over the Santa Anita Park grass course, having scored a maiden win at the Southern California track early in her career.
Frankie Dettori rides for trainer Rick Dutrow.
Other contenders in the American Oaks include Watchtower and Medoro, who respectively finished 1-2 in the one-mile Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Oct. 27.
Santa Anita Park, Thursday, December 26, 2024, Race 11Entries: American Oaks (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Omaha Girl (KY) Tyler Baze 124 George Papaprodromou - 2 Sakura Blossom (KY) Luis Saez 124 Leonard Powell - 3 Medoro (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 Peter Eurton - 4 Kathynmarissa (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 124 Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. - 5 Watchtower (KY) Diego A. Herrera 124 Richard Baltas - 6 Strutting (GB) Ricardo Gonzalez 124 Michael W. McCarthy - 7 Vibez (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Peter Eurton - 8 She Feels Pretty (KY) John R. Velazquez 124 Cherie DeVaux - 9 Baltic Fire (KY) Serafin Carmona 124 Simon Callaghan - 10 Chatalas (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Mark Glatt - 11 Mizzyaan (KY) Umberto Rispoli 124 Michael W. McCarthy - 12 Valence (KY) Kazushi Kimura 124 Ty J. Garrett - 13 Rashmi (KY) Joel Rosario 124 Jonathan Thomas -
