2013 Del Mar Oaks; Three-Year-Old Filly Turf Fest

2013 Del Mar Oaks; Three-Year-Old Filly Turf Fest: The next running of the 2013 Del Mar Oaks (GI) is set for this Saturday, August 17th and is for three-year-old fillies on the turf at 1 1/8 miles with a guaranteed purse of $300,000. The race takes place at the Del Mar Race Track in balmy Del Mar, California.

This year the Del Mar Oaks field is chock full of fabulous three-year-old fillies with a few European shippers. So the field doesn’t lie, this is going to be one tough race. There are 11 entries with 10 starters, which leaves one eligible if there is a scratch on Saturday.

Of the two kittens entered in the 2013 Del Mar Okas, I prefer the Wesley Ward trained filly Emotional Kitten. Last out she was second and beaten by Emollient in the (GI) American Oaks at Hollywood Betfair Park on July 13th 2013 raced at 1 1/4 miles. Prior to that Emotional Kitten won the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico on May 17th going 1 1/16 and an Allowance Race at Keeneland on April 7th at 1 1/16. She has been training at Del Mar since the win here on July 13th. Emotional Kitten leaves from post #4 with Victor Espinoza to ride.

The other daughter of Kitten’s Joy, Kitten’s Dumplings, is the likely favorite for the 2013 Del Mar Oaks. She is trained by Michael Maker and comes in with a three-win racing streak which includes the Lake George Stakes (GII) July 24th at Saratoga Race Course, the Regret (GII) and Edgewood Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs this spring. She gets Mike Smith in the saddle and exits from post #6.

Also shipping in from New York is the lovely Discreet Marq, the Christopher Clement trained filly, who is the winner of her last two starts, the (GII) $200,000 Sands Point Stakes in May and a $100,000 ungraded stakes on July 4t,h 2013. Both wins were at Belmont. Discreet Marq most likely will set a rousing pace and gets the #2 spot with Julien Leparoux in the irons.

My longshot favorite is the Jerry Hollendorfer trained Doinghardtimeagain. Last out she won the Hollywood Oaks (GII) on the cushion in June and makes her second start on the grass in this race. She gets the #7 slot with Rafael Bejarano to ride.

The 2013 Del Mar Oaks could be a kitten fest. I’m sticking with Emotional Kitten, Discreet Marq, and Kitten’s Dumplings as my top three here. I really like both kittens but I’m shooting for the favorite Kitten’s Dumplings to get beat. So I wouldn’t leave her out of an exacta or trifecta bet. Doinghardtimeagain wouldn’t surprise me if she blew out a big one, so a little money on her to win and place might be the ticket.

If there is a scratch, I like the lovely Ighraa trained by Francis-Henri Graffard who is hoping to take a shot here. Ighraa arrives in improving form, following a close fourth-place finish against Thistle Bird in the (GIII) Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsomon May 31.

Good luck to the ladies and all of their connections. Go girls!!! Run hard, fast and safe.

The 2013 Del Mar Oaks is the 8th race on a card of 10 and slated to start at 5:40 PM PDT.

2013 Del Mar Oaks Post Positions & Odds
1. 1  Wishing Gate 7/2 G.Gomez/T.Proctor
2. 2  Discreet Marq 5/1  J.Leparoux/C.Clement
3. Sarach M.Garcia/R.Mandella
4. 3 Emotional Kitten 6/1 V.Espinoza/W.Ward
5. 4 Charlie Em 15/1  J.Talamo/P.Gallagher
6. 5 Kitten’s Dumplings 3/1 M.Smith/M.Maker
7. 6 Doinghardtimeagain 12/1 R.Bejarano/J.Holldendorfer
8. 7 Need You Now 12/1 C.Nakatani/M.Mitchell
9. 8 Pearlside 5/1 M.Pedroza/D.Vienna
10. 9 Unusual Way 12/1 R.Baze/J.Bonde
11. 10 Ighraa 10/1 R.Bejarano/F.Graffard
Updated Results: 2, 1, 4, 6, 10, 8, 5, 9, 7, 11