Exotics Plays for the Saratoga Oaks

A compact but competitive field of six sophomore fillies will travel 1 3/16 miles over the Saratoga main turf oval in Saturday’s $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. (G2). The unbeaten #6 Laurelin headlines the field from the outside post for conditioner Graham Motion. By Zarak, the chestnut never wins by a large margin, but she has gotten it done in four consecutive outings to date, with the last three coming in the stakes ranks. 

Saratoga Oaks Exotics

• $10 exacta 6 with 1,3 ($20)
• $3 trifecta box 1,3,6 ($18)

Laurelin has negotiated firm, good, and yielding turf courses leading up to Saturday and is bred to handle the move to 1 3/16 miles with relative ease, as well. The Irish-bred miss will likely track the pace with some intent from third in the early stages before being given her cue turning for home with Kendrick Carmouche in the silks. 

#3 Go Go Boots will make her stateside debut in the affair, and I feel that she will be a major player late in the event. Now in the barn of Miguel Clement, the Night of Thunder filly comes off of a solid fourth behind Garden of Eden in the Ribblesdale S. (G3) at Royal Ascot last time, and her third behind the mighty Whirl three back at York looks pretty good right now, too. The distance will be perfect for the filly who has flashed early interest on multiple occasions in the past. Jose Ortiz will guide the dangerous European import. 

Chad Brown’s #1 Opulent Restraint has steadily progressed in her lifetime and was last seen leading late when finishing a close third in the strong Belmont Oaks (G1) on the surface most recently. The Dubawi gray is out of a mare that I liked a whole lot when she was racing, and the lass was a graded winner at Saratoga for Brown, too. The likely pacesetter in the cast has a fine draw on the rail, and while the distance is a question mark, she will be tough to deny with even slight improvement off of her latest appearance. Flavien Prat will guide the homebred.