Photo: Hollywood Park
Fresh off an easy win in the Grade III Regret June 18 at
Churchill Downs, Bizzy Caroline is among 12 3-year-old fillies nominated for
the $250,000 American Oaks.
A Grade I at 1 ¼ miles on turf, the American Oaks will be
run for the 10th time Saturday, July 16. It is the most lucrative of
five stakes races to be offered the final two days of the Spring/Summer meet at
Hollywood Park.
Besides the American Oaks, the other graded races are the
$200,000 A Gleam Handicap, a Grade II for older fillies and mares at seven
furlongs over Cushion Track, the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship, a
Grade III for 2-year-olds at six furlongs and the $100,000 Sunset Handicap, a
Grade III for older horses at 1 ½ miles on turf. The lone ungraded race is the
$100,000 Landaluce for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
In addition to the American Oaks, the A Gleam and Landaluce
will be contested July 16. The Hollywood Juvenile and Sunset will be run
closing day – Sunday, July 17.
Owned by co-breeder Catesby W. Clay and trained by Ken
McPeek, Bizzy Caroline has won three in a row on turf in Kentucky. She is a daughter of Afleet Alex
and the Saint Ballado mare Sacre Coeur.
Among the other nominees are Senorita Stakes winner Star
Billing, Black Eyed Susan heroine Royal Delta, the Christophe Clement-trained
pair of Mystical Star and Naples Bay,
two-time graded stakes winner Cambina, Hard Sun, Entrustment, Nereid, Love
Theway You are, Dynamo and Up In Time.
Star Billing and Nereid, who is 2-for-2 on grass in her
young career, are trained by John Shirreffs, who won the 2010 American Oaks
with Harmonious. The only trainer with two victories in the race is Todd
Pletcher, who won back-to-back with Wait a While (2006) and Panty Raid (2007).
The A Gleam, which is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’
race, also attracted a dozen nominees. The Breeders’ Cup nominated winner of
the A Gleam earns a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, which
will be run Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. Additionally, the winner will have
pre-entry and entry fees waived and receive a $10,000 travel allowance.
Leading trainer Bob Baffert, who has never won the A Gleam,
has five of the nominees – American Lady, American Story, Excellent News, Irish
Gypsy and Fund Raiser.
Others nominated include Shotgun Gulch, who won the Grade I
Madison April 14 at Keeneland for owner-breeder-trainer C.R. Trout, Ultra
Blend, who has won five of her last six, including the B. Thoughtful and Grade
II Milady Handicap, and 2010 Railbird Stakes winner Tanda.
The Landaluce noms are topped by Cinderella Stakes winner
Killer Graces while Majestic City, who is 2-for-2 for trainer Peter Miller, is
among 12 nominated to the Hollywood Juvenile Championship.
Acclamation, winner of both the Jim Murray and Charlie
Whittingham Memorial Handicaps for a second consecutive year, heads 16 nominees
to the Sunset.
Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, who won the race a year
ago with Marlang, nominated four – Foolish Comment, Gothic Samurai and females
First Settler and Restless Soul. The last filly or mare to win the Sunset was
Petite Ile in 1990.