She Feels Pretty eye-catching winner of the GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland in October. (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Grade I, $300,000 American Oaks Next Thursday, Opening Day Of The Santa Anita Classic Meet
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—She Feels Pretty, an eye-catching winner of the GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland in October, comes west to Santa Anita seeking more Grade I glory in next Thursday’s $300,000 American Oaks at 1 ¼ miles on turf.
The 23rd edition of the American Oaks, which attracted 13 sophomore fillies, is one of six graded stakes on opening day of Santa Anita’s 90th anniversary season.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, She Feels Pretty romped by six lengths in the Queen Elizabeth II going 1 1/8 miles on turf. Prior to that effort, the Karakonite filly was second by a neck in the GII Lake Placid at Saratoga in August and third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the GI Belmont Oaks in July.
Owned by Lael Stables, She Feels Pretty is 7: 4-1-2 with $948,317 in earnings. She will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who has been aboard for her previous six starts.
Kathynmarissa returns to Santa Anita after a series of starts in Kentucky and New York. Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., Kathymarissa most recently earned her first stakes win in the Dueling Grounds Oaks going 1 5/16 miles at Kentucky Downs in September.
By Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Kathynmarissa is 8: 3-1-2 with $1,147,185 in earnings for owner Michael Dubb. She will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, who was also aboard in the Dueling Ground Oaks.
The leading local hopes are Grade III winners Watchtower and Medoro, who finished one-two in the GIII Autumn Miss going a mile Oct. 27 at Santa Anita.
Watchtower, trained by Richard Baltas, rallied to edge Medoro by just a nose when making her stakes debut in the Autumn Miss. By the Dubawi stallion Demarchelier, Kentucky-bred Watchtower is 7: 3-2-1 with $134,860 in earnings for owners Abbondanza Racing, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Iavorone. She will be ridden by Diego Herrera, who has been aboard in her previous three starts.
Medoro was sparking last winter and early spring, reeling off four straight victories to start her career including the GIII Providencia, China Doll Stakes and Blue Norther Stakes, all at Santa Anita. Trained by Peter Eurton, the Honor Code filly is 7: 4-2-1 with $320,600 in earnings for owner C R K Stable.
Prior to being edged in the Autumn Miss, Medoro finished second in the GI Del Mar Oaks and third in the GII San Clemente, both at Del Mar. She will have regular rider Antonio Fresu in the irons.
The American Oaks is one of six graded stakes on a blockbuster opening day program at Santa Anita. First post for an 11- race card is 11 a.m. PT with admission gates set to open at 9 a.m.
