Crazy Beautiful a Standout in Delaware Oaks

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful  tops a field of nine in the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park July 3.  The Oaks is the eighth race on a card that also includes the $150,000 Kent Stakes (G3T). 

In her most recent start, the Kenny McPeek trainee posted a 1 3/4-length score in the mile and a sixteenth Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park May 30.

"She is doing great," said McPeek. "We could not be happier with this filly. She handled the race in California pretty handily, so hopefully we will be able to pull off the coast-to-coast bookend and pull off the Santa Anita to Delaware Park double. The Delaware Oaks is a real good spot for her. The money, the grade, and the timing are all what we are looking for. We are excited that Mike Smith is coming back to ride her, and I suspect she will be tough."

Previously, the daughter of Liam's Map   was unplaced in the 1 1/8-mile Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs April 30. In her two other outings this year, she won the 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) by 2 1/4-lengths March 27 and finished second Feb. 27  in the one-mile Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Last year, she posted a record of two wins and two seconds from five starts, which included a second in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and a second in the Pocahantas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. She closed her 2020 campaign by finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland.

Her connections are intending to use the Delaware Oaks as a springboard for further engagements this summer at Saratoga Race Course in races such as the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) July 24 or the Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 21.

She has a career record of four wins and three seconds from nine starts with earnings of $520,865. She carries high weight of 122 lbs.

Main Line Racing Stable's Midnight Obsession  and Cash is King and LC Racing's Juror Number Four  head the opposition. 

A race before the Delaware Oaks, Madaket Stables' Wootton Asset  seeks his first victory in North America in the Kent Stakes. The French-bred son of Wootton Bassett will be making his 2021 debut in the 1 1/8-mile grass affair for 3-year-olds. 

Wootton Asset posted a record of two wins and a second from seven starts with earnings of $73,745 last year. After imported from Europe, the Wootton Bassett colt narrowly missed when second in the Laurel Futurity before going unplaced in two other stakes starts, including last fall's Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar in his final start at 2.

"Since he had been running in France before he shipped to the United States, we really were not sure how many more races he had in him and maybe the California race may have been one too many," trainer Graham Motion said. "He really came to the United States to run on firmer ground and the first time we ran him, in the Laurel Futurity, it was extremely soft, but he ran well extremely well. He had the winter off, and I think he has grown up a lot."

The field also includes Godolphin's stakes winner Gershwin  (by Distorted Humor  ), a half brother to grade 1 winner Mystic Guide . Mike Stidham, Mystic Guide's trainer, also conditions Gershwin.

Favored at 8-5 on the morning line is Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Like the King , owned by M Racing Group and trained by Wesley Ward.

Entries: Delaware Oaks (G3)

Delaware Park, Saturday, July 03, 2021, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Orbs Baby Girl (KY)	Mychel J. Sanchez	120	Anthony R. Margotta, Jr.	15/1
2	2Exogen (KY)	Jeremy Laprida	116	Miguel Penaloza	15/1
3	3Midnight Obsession (PA)	Joe Bravo	118	John C. Servis	4/1
4	4Juror Number Four (MD)	Sheldon Russell	116	Brittany T. Russell	6/1
5	5Hybrid Eclipse (KY)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	116	Linda Rice	10/1
6	6Leader of the Band (PA)	Frankie Pennington	116	John C. Servis	8/1
7	7Crazy Beautiful (KY)	Mike E. Smith	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	6/5
8	8She a Hot Mess (KY)	Angel Suarez	116	Brett A. Brinkman	12/1
9	9Baby Gundin (KY)	Jaime Rodriguez	116	Antonio Machado	15/1

Entries: Kent S. (G3T)

Delaware Park, Saturday, July 03, 2021, Race 7

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo
• 4:15 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Gershwin (KY)	Joe Bravo	117	Michael Stidham	8/1
2	2Yes This Time (KY)	UNKNOWN	117	Kelly J. Breen	7/2
3	3Shackled Love (MD)	Jaime Rodriguez	117	Gary Capuano	8/1
4	4Be Here (KY)	Daniel Centeno	117	Jonathan Thomas	8/1
5	5Like the King (KY)	UNKNOWN	117	Wesley A. Ward	8/5
6	6Eamonn (KY)	Mike E. Smith	122	Joseph F. Orseno	5/1
7	7Wootton Asset (FR)	Victor R. Carrasco	117	H. Graham Motion	6/1
8	8Vikram (KY)	UNKNOWN	117	Jonathan Thomas	6/1
9	9Doubleoseven (MD)	Johan Rosado	117	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	12/1