Field of Eight Closes Out NYRA's Turf Tiara

While the initial $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes lost much of its luster when Concrete Rose was sidelined for the rest of the year after winning the first two legs of the New York Racing Association's new Turf Tiara series, her absence has created a grand opportunity for eight 3-year-old fillies whose connections have their eyes on a hefty purse.

Included in that grouping is Godolphin's Romantic Pursuit, who took a while to live up to her regal breeding but comes into the 1 3/8-mile turf stakes Sept. 7 at Belmont Park off a win at the distance at Saratoga Race Course.

The victory was the second in a row, both at distances of 10 furlongs or more against older rivals, for the homebred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  who lost her first five starts with three seconds.

"We are happy with her and have confidence in her," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

That Romantic Pursuit has thrived at a classic distance should be no surprise. Her dam, the Hard Spun  mare Questing, won the 2012 Alabama Stakes (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on dirt. Yet Romantic Pursuit's prowess on turf—which shined through after three defeats on the main track, including a 31 3/4-length loss in a one-mile maiden race Dec. 14 at Aqueduct Racetrack—might be unexpected to some, though her dam started her career in Europe with a win on turf.

"We were always thinking about turf for her because of the Medaglia d'Oro part. We always thought she'd be better on the turf," McLaughlin said. "The nice thing is that she's only 3 and she won at a mile and three eighths last time against 3-year-old-and-up fillies, so it's nice to know she can get the distance."

Romantic Pursuit has trained sharply since her July 28 victory in an allowance optional claimer in which she showed speed while pressing the pace from second and then prevailed by a head after a tough stretch duel in which five horses hit the wire less than a length apart. She covered the distance in 2:15.06, encouraging McLaughlin to test her in stakes company for the first time Saturday.

"We're happy with her. She's a beautiful filly," said McLaughlin, who also trained the multiple grade-1 winning Questing. "She was very game in the stretch last time, and she's thriving now. She's dappled from head to toe and looks great."

Woodslane Farm's Dyna Passer faced Concrete Rose in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) and finished fifth. The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid  trained by Tom Albertrani finished third July 28, a neck behind Romantic Pursuit.

Among the new faces, Lady Prancealot is shipping in from California for trainer Richard Baltas after finishing third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by the Chad Brown-trained Cambier Parc, in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks Presented by The Jockey Club (G1T). The daughter of Sir Prancealot  won the Honeymoon Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park one start prior but has yet to race beyond 1 1/8 miles for owners Michael and Jules Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan, Craig and Josie Arntz, Christopher Dunn, Donald Durando, and Jeremy Peskoff.

Three shippers from Europe were also entered.

The Aga Khan's Edisa is a group 2-placed daughter of Kitten's Joy  trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre; Love So Deep Syndicate's Deep Impact filly Love So Deep missed by a head in a 1 9/16-mile group 2 stakes in France last time out for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam; and Stella Thayer's Wonderment, a daughter of Camelot, was a group 1 winner in France at 2 for trainer Nicolas Clement.