CCA Oaks Field Begins to Take Shape
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Photo: Keeneland Photo
Weep No More captures Ashland at Keeneland
Two challengers are confirmed, but a few more 3-year-old fillies are expected to line up against champion Songbird in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) July 24 at Saratoga Race Course.
The New York Racing Association earlier in July announced a purse hike from $300,000 for the 1 1/8-mile event to attract Fox Hill Farm's 2-year-old filly champion by Medaglia d'Oro who is undefeated in eight starts, four of them this year.
NYRA officials said two other grade I winners—Three Chimneys Farm's Carina Mia and Glenn Bromgen's Weep No More—are confirmed for the Sunday stakes. Carina Mia (by Malibu Moon ) won the Acorn Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in her last start June 11, while Weep No More (by Mineshaft ) captured the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland April 9.
Three Todd Pletcher trainees—Kinsley Kisses; Off the Tracks, winner of the July 2 Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) in her last start; and Unbridled Mo—are considered potential starters, as are Flora Dora and Paola Queen, NYRA reported.