Antoinette's early lead holds up in Saratoga Oaks

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In his three previous rides on Antoinette, jockey John Velazquez said the filly was reluctant to pass horses. His strategy going into Sunday’s $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational was to make sure horses would have to pass Antoinette.

Making the lead soon after the start, Antoinette shrugged off token pressure from favored Enola Gay, then repelled the late challenge of Stunning Sky to win the Saratoga Oaks by a half-length. Stunning Sky was second by 2 1/2 lengths over longshot Key Biscayne.

Speaktomeofsummer was fourth, followed by Enola Gay, Ricetta, and Queens Embrace.

The win was the third from eight starts and first in five runs this year for Antoinette, a daughter of Hard Spun owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Bill Mott, who had come into the Saratoga Oaks with five wins and 17 seconds at the meet. Mott also won the last race on the card with Southern Bridge, improving his record to 7-17-7 from 64 starters.

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“Making up for lost time,” Mott said.

After winning races on turf and dirt as a 2-year-old, Antoinette had run third in all four of her starts this year, including the Wonder Again Stakes on turf on June 20 and the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on dirt July 18.

It didn’t seem to matter which surface she was on, Antoinette ran the same.

“Talking to Bill, I’ve been taking this filly back every time she runs,” Velazquez said. “She runs behind the horses and it seems like she’s going to gallop, she doesn’t pass the horses on the lead. I said today there’s not much speed, might as well try to send her to the lead, maybe I’ll get her to relax and she’ll put up a good fight.”

Antoinette was able to get to the front through a quarter of 23.94 seconds, a half-mile in 48.87 and six furlongs in 1:12.78 with race favorite Enola Gay a close second.

In upper stretch, Enola Gay faded but Stunning Sky, under Irad Ortiz Jr., was coming down the center of the course.

Velazquez guided Antoinette closer to Stunning Sky and that seemingly emboldened the filly as she would not let that rival past her.

“She didn’t open up on the horses, but she fought with the horses," Velazquez said. “It worked out this way.”

Antoinette covered the 1 3/16 miles over firm ground in 1:53.30 and returned $12 to win.

Since she had been successful on dirt and turf, Mott was debating between running Antoinette in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama and the Saratoga Oaks. They both had the same purse, but the Alabama appeared to be coming up a stronger race, especially with the presence of Swiss Skydiver in that field.

“We thought ‘Why not try this?' ” said Mott, who consulted with Godolphin USA president Jimmy Bell on the decision. “It was kind of a decision we made three or four days ago.”

Mott said he would likely look to keep Antoinette on turf. The Grade 1, $500,000 Belmont Oaks at 1 1/4 miles is scheduled for Sept. 19.

Ricetta, a filly by Camelot, was making her U.S. debut and first start for Mott. She was last away from the gate and ultimately finished sixth.

“She was just flat turning for home,” Mott said. “Javier [Castellano] said she was traveling well down the backside, he said she felt good and when they turned for home she was just flat.”