Vertical Oak Heads Field of Nine in Prioress
Image:
Description:
Photo: Rick Samuels
Vertical Oak wins the May 19 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
Kirk and Judy Robison's Vertical Oak will head a field of nine 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Prioress Stakes (G2) Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course.
The Giant Oak filly is seeking her first win since scoring back-to-back victories in the April 29 Goldfinch Stakes at Prairie Meadows and the May 19 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course, both at the Prioress' six-furlong distance.
In her next start June 11, Vertical Oak slammed the gate at the start of Belmont Park's Jersey Girl Stakes, was pulled up and declared a non-starter. The Steve Asmussen trainee finished second in the 6 1/2-furlong Victory Ride Stakes (G3) July 9 at Belmont behind American Gal. She was fifth in her last start, the Aug. 5 Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, also won by American Gal.
Vertical Oak's main competition in the Prioress could be from the Todd Pletcher-trained Nonna Mela, who won her season debut Aug. 7 by 4 1/2 lengths over an optional-claiming allowance field at Saratoga.
St. Elias Stable's lightly raced Nonna Mela broke her maiden in her second start going five furlongs, when she won by 7 1/4 lengths in July of 2016 at Monmouth Park. She then won the Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga by six lengths before she finished fourth in the one-mile Frizette Stakes (G1) Oct. 8 at Belmont—her last race of the year.
Asmussen's other entry is William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Golden Mischief, who finished fourth in the Victory Ride last time out.
There are several allowance winners stepping up in class.
Lady Sheila Stable's Downtown Mamais undefeated in three starts. She broke her maiden at Laurel Park in April. A month later, she took a Belmont allowance by three lengths, and scored in an optional-claiming allowance July 13 at Belmont in her most recent start.
Trainer Linda Rice picked up the daughter of Speightstown for $440,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales spring sale of 2-year-olds in training from the Wavertree Stables consignment. The filly previously was a $190,000 RNA at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Joseph Bulger's Royal Inheritance, trained by David Cannizzo, has won four of five starts. Her only loss was a second-place finish in a May 7 allowance race at Belmont going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. She has won all four of her starts going six furlongs.
Breaking from the rail is Gary Broad's Student Body. Trained by Christopher Davis, the daughter of Colonel John exits a front-running 11-length win in a first-level allowance sprint at Ellis Park while geared down in a time of 1:08.21.
Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, September 03, 2017, Race 10Entries: Prioress S. (G2)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Student Body (KY)
James Graham
116
Christopher Davis
6/1
2
2Sister Kan (FL)
Robby Albarado
116
Bernard S. Flint
12/1
3
3Golden Mischief (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
120
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1
4
4Nonna Mela (KY)
Javier Castellano
118
Todd A. Pletcher
5/2
5
5Vertical Oak (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Steven M. Asmussen
3/1
6
6Dawn the Destroyer (KY)
Joel Rosario
116
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
4/1
7
7Royal Inheritance (NY)
Manuel Franco
116
David A. Cannizzo
10/1
8
8Downtown Mama (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Linda Rice
8/1
9
9Yorkiepoo Princess (FL)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Edward R. Barker
20/1
