Amoss Will Let Hoosier Philly Do the Talking Now

As part of his job as an analyst for the New York Racing Association's Saratoga Live program, trainer Tom Amoss does a lot of talking. 

He did a little bit of that—well, maybe a lot—last year when a 2-year-old filly named Hoosier Philly  was turning heads while romping to solid wins in her first three starts.

There will be no such yakking this week as Amoss prepares Hoosier Philly, owned by Gold Standard Racing Stable, to run in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on July 22 at Saratoga Race Course.

She will face five others in the 1 1/8-mile race, which will be run as the ninth race on the 11-race card.

Amoss, who has been training since 1988, put the gray daughter of Into Mischief   on a high pedestal after her impressive start.

There was talk of maybe running in the 2023 Kentucky Derby. She was one of two fillies nominated for the Run for the Roses. Why not? The way Hoosier Philly started her career, who knew how good she might be?

"She was a horse that prepared differently than any horse I've had in my career," Amoss said before watching some of his horses train at Saratoga July 19. "And she backed it up in her races at (age) 2 being undefeated in three starts, two of which were stakes. I really thought the sky was the limit for her."

And Amoss let everyone know he felt that way. 

It didn't pan out as Hoosier Philly's star faded after a third-place finish in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slots and then a drubbing in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) when she was fourth, beaten 15 1/4 lengths.

"I had some egg on my face," Amoss said. "Maybe the lesson to be learned is to just shut up and let her do the talking. I made those statements publicly because I have always been a guy who tries to be transparent with my horses and what they are."

Amoss promptly nixed any thoughts of a run for the roses and he also dismissed the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs as well.

Hoosier Philly reappeared in the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course on May 19 and was a good second. She then won the Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park June 17 in frontrunning fashion, winning by 31/2 lengths with regular jockey Edgar Morales.

"We were on a racetrack that played hard to speed and we were able to take advantage of that," Amoss said. "To the naked eye, it looked really, really powerful and, to some extent, it was, but I also think it was enhanced. We do feel she is back to where she was at the end of her 2-year-old campaign."

The Coaching Club American Oaks is an opportunity for Hoosier Philly to get into the mix in the 3-year-old filly division. The leader, Pretty Mischievous , isn't here, but there are some nice fillies that are.

Start with Repole Stable's Gambling Girl , whose late rally in the Kentucky Oaks came up a neck short. Trained by Todd Pletcher, she will again be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. The New York-bred daughter of Dialed In   has finished second in three of her four starts this year.

Gambling Girl shipped to Saratoga from Kentucky on July 18; she had been at Churchill Downs since the Oaks.

"She seems to be better the farther she goes," Pletcher said. "She has always trained pretty well, but it seemed like she took her game to another level when she got to Churchill."

Gambling Girl gave her connections a thrill—and a surprise—as she nearly pulled off the upset.

"Pleasantly surprised," Mike Repole, owner of Repole Stable, said. "I was probably more disappointed  that she ran that well and lost."

Lost in the shuffle could very well be Godolphin's Wet Paint , who was the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks but only managed fourth. Trained by Brad Cox, the daughter of Blame   has won four of eight career starts. She has three wins in five starts this year.

Wet Paint finished second behind Hoosier Philly as the 3-5 favorite in the Monomoy Girl in her last start.

"It was a very good filly that won it," Cox said of Hoosier Philly. "We didn't have much chance with no pace and the way the track was playing. I'm totally looking forward to her moving forward off that race."

Amoss expects a much tougher Wet Paint, who will be reunited with Flavien Prat, this time.

"She will be much more of a formidable opponent than she was at Ellis because she had everything go against her and we had everything for us," Amoss said. "We are looking forward to what we recognize will be (Hoosier Philly's) most difficult race in the Coaching Club."

 Also entered are Robert E. Masterson's Southlawn , trained by Norm Casse. She won the Fair Grounds Oaks before finishing 10th in the Kentucky Oaks. Florent Geroux has the mount.

She's Lookin Lucky , trained by Matt Shirer and owned by Richard Dunn, Ten Strike Racing, Gary Barber, Jeremy Sussman, and Todd Monken, will be ridden by Kendrick Carmouche for the first time.

Sacred Wish , trained by George Weaver, will be ridden by Manny Franco. Owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, Christopher Dunn, and Anthony Spinazzola, Sacred Wish was second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on April 1.