Fionn Rolls to Victory in Jockey Club Oaks

It's been an outstanding year for the 3-year-old filly Fionn, and it may not be over. Shortly after the daughter of Twirling Candy prevailed by a half-length over Laurelin (IRE) in the $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies Nov. 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack, trainer Brad Cox stopped short of saying, "See ya next year." Cox said that, depending on how everything unfolds in the coming weeks, his $2 million earner could run one more time against fellow 3-year-old fillies in the Dec. 26 American Oaks (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. "I wouldn't say the year is closed out. There's the American Oaks in December. We'll see. We'll let the dust settle, but that could be a possibility," Cox said. "It has a lot to do with the logistics of how early we would have to get out there. Travel can be tough at this time of year with limited flight options." The JC Oaks accounted for Fionn's sixth win in eight starts this year for owners George Messina and Michael Lee. The only unplaced effort came last time out in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1T) when she was eighth early on and finished fourth on a surface that was kind to speed. "She always shows up. I thought she ran better than it looked on paper last time in the QE II. She came out of it good and worked well at Churchill Downs to give us some confidence to put her on the van and send her to New York," Cox said. "I'm glad she was able to get herself back in the winner's circle. She has a tremendous turn of foot." On paper, the 1 3/8-mile Jockey Club Oaks loomed a 2-horse race between Fionn and Laurelin, and that's how it turned out in the stretch. As 75-1 shot Don't Jinx It set fractions of :49.87, 1:16.45, and 1:41.40 on the firm turf, Fionn and Laurelin were seventh and sixth, respectively, until the final turn when they moved widest of all. Laurelin, the even-money favorite who was in the 5 path, forged to the lead leaving the eighth pole, but Flavien Prat and Fionn ($4.82), the 7-5 second choice, closed fastest outside of her to take charge late and cover the distance in 2:17.22. "The stamina kicked in," Prat said. "She's done everything right so far. I am pleased with her." Newstead Stables' Laurelin, a daughter of Zarak (FR) trained by Graham Motion, was second by 3 lengths over Castleton Lyons' Don't Jinx It, a daughter of Kitten's Joy trained by Miguel Clement, who ran gamely to hang on for third. "These are nice fillies who take turns beating each other," said Motion, whose filly finished second and ahead of Fionn in the QE II while winning five of seven career starts. "Now it's time for a little vacation." Bred by Dixiana Farms out of the Giant's Causeway mare Gaelic Gold, Fionn was bought for $75,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from her breeder's consignment. In 10 career starts, she has seven wins and earnings of $2,010,170. Among the wins was a victory in the Belmont Oaks (G1T), the first in a series of three NYRA graded turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies that conclude this weekend.