Emerald Downs: Champagneandcaviar proves she's no flash in pan with Washington Oaks score

The days of Champagneandcaviar going to post at 28-1 appear to be over. After her upset victory at those long odds in the Kent Handicap her previous start, the 3-year-old filly moved to the head of her division Saturday at Emerald Downs with a victory in the $73,250 Washington Oaks.

Ridden by Javiar Matias, Champagneandcaviar ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.75 and paid $14.80. In a reversal of tactics from her front-running victory in the Kent, she assumed a stalking position behind speedy 9-10 favorite Exclusive Diva before rallying along the inside to catch that rival for a head victory.

Our Eleanor, the 7-2 second choice, was three-quarters of a length back in third, followed by Royal Moses, Whiskey Miner, Talk to My Lawyer, Stephiano, and Regal Betty.

The stakes victory was the fifth of the meeting for Matias.

“I had a tight hold on my horse the whole way,” he said. “I wanted to keep the front of her body in between (Exclusive Diva) and the rail so that I’d have room in the stretch. I looked back at the quarter pole and saw (Our Eleanor) was the only one closing. I was pretty confident we were going to win. She’s got a big heart.”

Howard Belvoir trains Champagneandcaviar for Fleur De Lis Stables, the meet’s leading stakes owners with two wins apiece by Champagneandcaviar and Longacres Mile contender Winning Machine.

A Kentucky-bred by Toccet, Champagneandcaviar earned $41,250, increasing her lifetime mark to $87,865 from 11 starts. She began the meeting running against $12,500 maiden claimers.