Curalina headlines the CCA Oaks at Saratoga on Sunday. (Photo credit: NYRA)
The Todd Pletcher trained Curalina headlines a strong group of three-year-old fillies that will battle in Sunday’s $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.
Pletcher is seeking his third consecutive win in the Grade 1 fixture and seventh overall. He won last year with Stopchargingmaria and in 2013 with Princess of Sylmar.
Curalina is coming off a victory in the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park going a mile in her stakes debut, beating By the Moon by a neck, her third win in four career starts.
She is facing a tough group that includes the Larry Jones trained I’m a Chatterbox, who makes her first start since running third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 1. The daughter of Munnings won her three previous starts at Fair Grounds.
Mother Goose (G1) winner Include Betty will be sent out by Tom Proctor. Wonder Gal was the beaten favorite in the Mother Goose in a runner up finish for trainer Leah Gyamarti and will be looking to turn the tables.
Trainer Dale Romans will send out Black Eyed Susan (G2) victress Keen Pauline, who wired the field at Pimlico in her stakes debut.
Completing the field are Mother Goose third Chide, recent first level optional claimer winner Conquest Eclipse and maiden winner Danette.
The winner of the CCA Oaks has a shot of moving to the top of the division. The undefeated Lady Eli is sidelined fighting laminitis and Kentucky Oaks winner tossed in a clunker in her last outing, a fifth place finish in the Delaware Oaks (G3) on July 11.
We had five winners on top on the 11-race card on Saturday at the Spa including Uncle Vinny ($10.00) in the Sanford (G3) and Hard Not to Like ($14.40) in the Diana (G1).
Sunday’s Best Plays Report includes my nine strongest plays from Del Mar and Saratoga.
Let’s head out to the Spa for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 10 The Coaching Club American Oaks G1 (Post time 6:07 ET)
3 Curalina 3-1
8 I’m a Chatterbox 5-2
5 Include Betty 7-2
6 Keen Pauline 4-1
Analysis: Curalina overcame getting squeezed back at the start of the Acorn (G1) to get up late for the win by a neck for her third win in a row. The effort came at a one-turn mile and she may be better at two turns. The filly owns a solid pace profile throughout and looks ready to give Pletcher his seventh win in this race. The trainer won last year with Stopchargingmaria and in 2013 with Princess of Sylmar.
I’m a Chatterbox swept the three races at Fair Grounds for three-year-old fillies including the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and now makes her first start since running third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. She raced near the back of the pack early and finished up well, beaten 3 3/4 lengths for the top spot and a length behind the runner up Shook Up who she beat in her previous outing. She looks as if she should be closer to the pace in this spot and she has done well when closer to the pace including winning the Silverbulletday in gate to wire fashion back in January for her first stakes victory.
Include Betty came with a good fie wide run to get up and win the Mother Goose (G1) last out at Belmont Park, beating a couple of foes she faces again today. The Tom Proctor trainee is going to need to see some pace in front of her, and there is not a ton of speed signed up to go.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 3,8 / 3,5,6,8
TRI: 3,8 / 3,5,6,8 / 3,5,6,7,8
Michael Dempsey’s Saratoga Special:
Get Michael’s full card reports for Saratoga includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Get reports for the entire meeting between July 24 and Sept. 1. Michael’s Saratoga Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Mike has been handicapping the New York Racing circuit on a daily basis for nearly three decades. Saratoga runs six days a week, Wednesday through Monday.
