2017 American Oaks Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will be the scene of the G1 American Oaks on Saturday, December 30. A purse of $300,000 will be on the line for three-year-old fillies willing to saddle up and go 1 1/4 miles on Santa Anita's turf track.

A deep field of 10 sophomore fillies have been confirmed for the American Oaks - race 7 on Santa Anita's busy Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:30 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 10 entries for this important and intriguing G1 stakes.

2017 American Oaks Entries at Santa Anita Park

Daddys Lil Darling

Has three wins, five seconds and a third-place finish in 14 career starts for trainer Kenneth McPeek. She won the G2 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs September 17, 2016 and has been OK since. She enters off a close third in the G2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs November 24 which followed a second in the G1 QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 14 and a good 4 1/4 length win in the ungraded Dueling Ground Oaks at Kentucky Downs September 10. Before that was a fifth in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga July 23, a respectable fourth in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 8 and two straight runner-up finishes - behind Able Tasman in the G1 Kentucky Oaks May 5 and the G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland April 8. She also had a sixth in the G3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay March 11, a decent second in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs and an OK fourth in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Daddys Lil Darling has been consistent, has finished second in four G1 starts and will try for a first graded stakes score in 15 months (first G1) Saturday. Mike Smith has been tabbed to ride from gate 4.

New Money Honey

Multiple Graded Stakes winner - Chad Brown trained filly has placed in five of eight career starts - four wins and a second-place finish. Last time out was a disappointing sixth as 5-2 favorite in the G1 QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 14 after another underwhelming fifth on dirt in the G1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga August 19, a terrific win in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 8, another win by two lengths in wire-to-wire fashion in the G3 Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont Park June 8, a sixth as favorite in the G3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland April 13 and two more good wins - the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the G3 Miss Grillo Stakes in October, 2016. New Money Honey has bested some very good fields in the past but hasn't been great in her last two starts overall. Javier Castellano will try to right the ship on the only G1 winner in the field from post 9 Saturday.

Rymska

Impressive French bred Chad Brown trained filly has five wins, a second and a third-place finish in her eight career starts. She enters on a terrific three-race win streak - the minor Winter Memories Stakes with a 92 Beyer Speed Figure at Aqueduct November 23, the G3 Commonwealth Oaks at Laurel Park September 30 and the G3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park back in February. Before that was an OK fifth in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, a second in the G3 Miss Grillo Stakes in October, 2016 and a stakes win in her last start at home. Rymska has been untouchable the last 11 or so months and tries to stretch her win streak to four - from gate 8 with Irad Ortiz guiding her.

Desert Duchess

Has five wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes in her 14 career starts for trainer Michael Maker. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday on a nice three-race win streak - the minor Cellars Shiraz Stakes by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park West November 4, an Allowance at Kentucky Downs September 14 and a Starter Allowance at Saratoga September 1. She posted two wins, two seconds and two third-place finishes in her previous seven starts against lesser company. Desert Duchess has been as competitive as they come lately and hopes to keep a nice streak going from post 7.

Beau Recall

Irish bred Simon Callaghan trained filly has two wins and four runner-up finishes in her nine career starts. She enters off a fifth in the G1 QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 14 after an OK second in the G1 Del Mar Oaks August 19 and a career-worst result - a sixth in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 8. Before that were three straight quality runner-up finishes behind the terrific Sircat Sally - the G2 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita June 17, in the G3 Senorita Stakes on that track May 6 and the minor China Doll Stakes in March also at Santa Anita. Beau Recall has been competitive at times but has failed to hit the board in two of her last three overall. Joe Talamo will try to get Beau Recall her first win in nearly a year from gate 6.

Madam Dancealot

Richard Baltas trained Irish bred filly has four wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes in 14 career starts. She arrives on the heels of consecutive OK thirds - the G1 QE II Challenge Cup at 20-1 at Keeneland last time out October 14 and as 7-2 favorite in the G1 Del Mar Oaks August 19. Those results followed a career-best effort - a nice last-to-first 1 3/4 length win at 21-1 odds in the G2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar July 23, a runner-up finish in the minor Special Goddess Stakes at Santa Anita June 11, an Allowance score on this track May 14, a tenth in the minor China Doll Stakes here March 11 and a fourth in the minor Sweet Life Stakes on this track in February. She also had a thirteenth in her North American debut - the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and a nice win in her last start at home - the Group 3 Bathwick Tyres Dick Poole Stakes in September. Madam Dancealot has been good recently having placed in her last five starts overall and hopes to snap a two-race losing streak from the rail. Corey Nakatani will be in the saddle.

Kathy's Song

Has placed in eight of 12 career starts for trainer Richard Baltas - four wins and four second-place finishes. She enters off one of those wins - the minor Miss America Stakes at Golden Gate December 10 after a fifth in the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes here October 29 and a fourth in the minor Unzip Me Stakes on this track September 30. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar September 4, a distant ninth in the G1 Del Mar Oaks August 19 and a two-race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming June 28 at Indiana Grand and a maiden score on that track June 7. Kathy's Song has failed to fire in her two graded stakes tries but hopes to build on her first stakes win from gate 2. Brice Blanc rides.

Coachwhip

Will race for just the fourth time for trainer Richard Mandella having posted two wins and a second-place finish - all at Golden Gate. She made her stakes debut last time out and finished second behind Kathy's Song in the minor Miss America Stakes December 10 after and Allowance score November 24 and a maiden score at first asking October 21. Coachwhip has been competitive so far and hopes to be again in her major step up in competition - from the outside gate 10 with Flavien Prat in the saddle.

Bernina Star

Has placed in nine of 15 career starts for trainer James Cassidy - two wins, two seconds and five third-place finishes. Last time out was an OK fourth in the G2 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos December 3 which followed a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar November 5, a fourth in a similar race at Santa Anita October 19 and a third in the G3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mat August 27. Before that was Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar July 29, a fifth in a similar race at Santa Anita May 4 and a sixth in her only other graded stakes action so far - the G1 Santa Anita Oaks April 8. Bernina Star has been just OK so far in her career and hopes for a career-defining win from post 3. Kent Desormeaux will be in the irons.

Pantsonfire

Richard Baltas trained Irish bred filly has just one win in her eight career starts to go along with two seconds and a third-place finish. She makes her stakes debut Saturday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar October 19 after a maiden score here October 14 and a fourth in a MSW at Del Mar August 20. Before that was a second in a Maiden Claiming at Del Mar July 27 and a third in her last start at home - a Handicap at Navan in June. Pantsonfire steps up in OK form and hopes for a career-best performance from post 5. Rajiv Maragh has the mount.

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