Allen Stable's Enola Gay (Uncle Mo) will look to make it two in a row when she goes postward as the morning-line favorite in the Saratoga Oaks at Saratoga Sunday. The Joe Allen homebred opened her career with an impressive debut win at Kentucky Downs, but went to the sidelines following a fourth-place effort over the Aqueduct lawn in the six-furlong Stewart Manor S. last November. Stretched to a mile while making her return in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland last time out, the bay filly closed stoutly to just get her nose on the line first. She will be getting even more real estate Sunday in the 1 3/16-mile Oaks.
“It's a good spot for her and I think she'll run that far,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “I think she got stronger and got a bit more mentally mature with the time off. I went ahead and took a shot with her down there at Keeneland because she had trained so well. I thought it would be a good place to give her a chance.”
Juddmonte Farms' homebred Ricetta (GB) (Camelot {GB}) makes her first start for trainer Bill Mott in the Oaks and is 9-2 on the morning line. The filly opened her career with back-to-back wins at Newmarket in June and was third as the favorite in the 1 5/16-mile G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. July 9 at York in her final outing for trainer John Gosden.
“She has the form, she should suit the race very well,” said Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke. “She probably missed a work or two by having to be traveling and in quarantine. She did have a blowout last week and Bill said she went well. Hopefully, that's enough to get her back to peak fitness. She does look like she stacks up ability-wise.”
Ricetta is out of Panzanella (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
Waterford Stable's Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front) helped to get trainer Christophe Clement's Saratoga meeting off to a big start with a late-charging victory in the nine-furlong GII Lake Placid S. July 19. The dark bay filly, 3-1 on the Oaks morning line, has won three of her four turf outings.
“The filly is doing well and has been training forwardly from her last race,” said Clement. “She won well last time and got a very good ride from Joel Rosario, who will stay on her. It's an extra sixteenth of a mile which I hope won't be a problem. I'm not sure about that, but I guess we will find out.”
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