Sharla Rae Rebounds for Del Mar Oaks Score
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Sharla Rae rebounded from a disappointing seventh last time out in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (gr. IT), and notched her first graded victory with a win in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) Aug. 15 at Del Mar.
After rating third on the rail under jockey James Graham while longshot pacesetter Paulina's Love, set fractions of :23.08, :46.63, and 1:10.50, the 3-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex swung out to the three path and closed through a 1:34.59 mile to hold off 14-1 shot Her Emmynency by three-quarters of a length. Prize Exhibit, favored at odds of 7-5, was third. All ran under equal weights of 122 pounds.
Final time for the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies was 1:46.58 on firm turf.
Sharla Rae, sent off at odds of 6-1 in a group of eight, returned $14.40, $5.80, and $3.40 under jockey James Graham. Her Emmynency paid $9.20 and $5, while Prize Exhibit brought $2.40. Sunset Glow, Majestic Heat, Rattataptap, Paulina's Love, and Zipessa completed the order of finish.
Sharla Rae races for Brous Stable, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable and is trained by Doug O'Neill. She took the Feb. 7 California Oaks at Golden Gate, but did not win again in four graded attempts. As a 2-year-old she won the Barretts Debutante Stakes at Los Alamitos and the Pike Place Dancer Stakes at Golden Gate.
Bred in Kentucky by Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Kaster and Frederick C. Wieting out of the Gold Fever mare Jinny's Gold, Sharla Rae improved her record to 5-1-1 from 13 starts with earnings of $436,545. She was a $22,000 yearling from the Castle Park Farm consignment when purchased by Denny Boultinghouse at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, and went through the ring at the 2014 Barretts March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training where she was a $50,000 RNA from the Havens Bloodstock Agency consignment.