Exotics Plays for the Coaching Club American Oaks

A fantastic field of nine sophomore fillies will travel 1 1/8 miles over the main surface at Saratoga in Saturday’s feature, the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). The Mark Casse-trained #1 Counting Stars (2-1) has run four high-quality races in succession in preparation for her second run at this venue, and if the Honor A. P. filly duplicates her effort in her local debut in this affair, then the cast is likely running for minor awards. 

Coaching Club Exotics

• $20 exacta 1 with 6 ($20)

• $5 trifecta 1,6 with 1,6 with 3,8 ($20)

• 50-cent superfecta 1,6 with 1,6 with 5,8 with all ($12)

Counting Stars, who dominated the Fantasy (G2) three back, which preceded a third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), comes off a smashing win in the recent Acorn (G1) when she dusted a strong field inside the final furlong to post a convincing, 3 3/4-length victory beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. The Kentucky-bred bay has reportedly worked well in the interim, and while she didn’t thrive with an inside voyage in the Oaks at Churchill Downs, I like her placement on the fence in this particular spot. She will be formidable with something like her most recent effort. 

Kentucky Oaks starlet #6 Always A Runner (9-5) was outkicked late in the Acorn but was clear in second, and I expect her to improve in her second lifetime appearance. Trained by Chad Brown, the Gun Runner sophomore gave up ground throughout last time and still has room for growth, being lightly raced. The seven-figure yearling purchase looks to be doing everything right in the mornings and will be formidable with something resembling her Oaks performance on this occasion. Jose Ortiz retains the ride. 

I was surely not the only one disappointed by the sixth-place result from #8 Zany (9-2) in the Oaks, but the ultra-talented miss will appear with blinkers on for the initial time, and she wouldn’t be a major surprise to me in her local debut. The Todd Pletcher pupil was excellent at two and ran a clear second in the Ashland (G1) to commence 2026, so I’ll give her a pass for one subpar effort and use her in a lot of wagers against this fine cast beneath John Velazquez.  

In an affair lacking pace, #3 La Rascasse (8-1) will likely go straight to the front in hopes of keeping her unbeaten record intact for trainer Will Walden. Purchased for $750,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Authentic has done nothing wrong from a pair of assignments to date, and while this class rise is a substantial one, I feel that she might get brave if left alone on the front end for too long in her first showing at The Spa. Regular pilot Axel Concepcion comes in to retain the mount.