Mo d'Amour Gets Class Relief in Monmouth Oaks

King of Prussia Stable's Mo d'Amour, fourth in her last two starts in grade I company, heads a field of seven entered for the $100,000 Monmouth Oaks (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies Aug. 20 at Monmouth Park.

The Uncle Mo   filly, trained by Todd Pletcher, will face Emory Hamilton's Tejana, an impressive winner of her first two starts in maiden and allowance company, and Jeremiah Kane's A Place to Shine, a daughter of Tale of Ekati   who finished second in the Delaware Oaks (gr. III) in her last start after a claim for $12,500 three starts back.

The race is the ninth on the Saturday program at Monmouth Park.

Mo d'Amour, a $75,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March 2-year-olds in training sale, last time out finished 11 lengths behind undefeated Songbird in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I). Before that, the filly finished 7 1/2 lengths behind Off the Tracks, who won the Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I). In May Mo d'Amour was fifth, beaten only 3 1/2 lengths, in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) won by Cathryn Sophia.

Her lone stakes win came in the Busher at Aqueduct Racetrack in February at 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Monmouth Oaks. Nik Juarez is named to ride at 123 pounds from post 2.

Tejana, by Curlin  , broke her maiden by 4 1/2 lengths in her career debut at six furlongs in May at Pimlico Race Course and returned in July to win a one-turn-mile allowance race by 4 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Tejana has done all of her work on the front-end and figures in the mix early.

Edgar Prado, who rode the filly in her first two starts, is named to ride at 120 pounds from post 3.

A Place to Shine, trained by Kathy Mongeon, was claimed at Gulfstream Park in March and returned three months later to win an allowance/optional claiming event at Parx Racing. She then raced in the Delaware Oaks and rallied from last of eight to finish second, 2 1/4 lengths behind Dark Nile, who is entered in the Alabama Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 20.

Brian Pedroza, who rode the filly for the first time in the Oaks, is named again at 118 pounds from post 4.