Del Mar Oaks 2019: Preview, Field & Odds

A power-laden line-up of 14 three-year-old fillies, including four highly-regarded invaders from the East Coast, will tangle in the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks at nine furlongs over Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course on Saturday, August 17.

On the afternoon of the 29th running of the Grade I $1 million Pacific Classic, Del Mar Thoroughbred will present four other graded stakes on an 11-race program beginning at 2 p.m.

In addition to the Pacific Classic and Del Mar Oaks, other added money events on the card are the $100,000 Green Flash Handicap, the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap by the Japan Racing Association, and the $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes.

An exceptionally strong field of fillies is set for the Del Mar Oaks. Coming in to take on the California-based contingent are two stakes-winners from the stable of America's leading trainer, Chad Brown - Cambier Parc and Dogtag, plus Hard Legacy and Wild Balance.

Mucho Unusual, a change-of-tactics last-to-first winner of the Grade II $200,000 San Clemente Stakes on July 20, will be facing her stiffest competition in the biggest field of her career in Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Mucho Unusual, a daughter of Mucho Macho Man bred and owned by George Krikorian and trained by Tim Yakteen, went counter to a previous forwardly-placed running style in sweeping from 10th to first in the San Clemente. Her fourth victory in seven career starts came at the expense of fellow Oaks probables Apache Princess and Over Emphasize.

In two starts this year, Dog Tag, a daughter of War Front, won the ungraded Hilltop at Pimlico and was third in the Grade III Lake George at Saratoga.

Hard Legacy, a daughter of Hard Spun, comes in off a front-running victory in the Grade III Regret in June at Churchill Downs.

Cambier Parc, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro conditioned by Chad Brown, the nation's leading trainer for money earnings, was tabbed the 5-2 favorite.

Cambier Parc, a $1.25 million purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2017, raced only once at two but has three wins in five 2019 starts. Two of the victories were in Grade III stakes and she enters the race off a third-place performance in the Belmont Oaks in July.

Through Wednesday, Equibase figures had Brown with 129 wins from 488 starters and earnings of $17,932,501. Steve Asmussen is No. 2 in the North American trainer standings with 251 wins from 1,312 starters and $16,507549 in earnings.

Other local contenders are Maxim Rate, Strike At Dawn, Raymundos Secret, Keeper Ofthe Stars, Apache Princess, Sold It, Lady Prancealot, Out of Balance and Hidden Message.

Entrants in the Green Flash at five furlongs on the turf are Calexman, Stormy Liberal, Undrafted, Shades of Victory, Eddie Haskell and Mr Vargas. Stormy Liberal has won the last two renewals of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and took the 2018 Green Flash.

The Del Mar Handicap, at a mile and three-eighths on the grass, attracted a nine-horse field, namely, Oscar Dominguez, Ritzy A.P., Blended Citizen, Marckie's Water, United, The Great Day, Itsinthepost, Arizona Moon and Acclimate. The Del Mar `Cap is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita in November.

Entered in the Torrey Pines, for sophomore fillies at one mile on the main dirt track, are Into Chocolate, High Regard, Classic Fit, Hollywood Hills, Colonial Greed, Sneaking Out, Fighting Mad and Kim K.