Legatissimo faces tall task in Investec Oaks

Legatissimo is the antepost favorite for the Group 1 Investec Oaks on Friday at Epsom Racecourse in England, but she has no insurmountable edge over several other fillies in what might prove to be a wide-open edition of the 1 1/2-mile classic for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by David Wachman for Coolmore connections, Legatissimo has won 3 of 6 starts, including two straight this season, and her Oaks support is based mainly on her last-out victory in the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas. That race is a straight-course mile, a far different game than the testing, turning race Friday at Epsom, and though Legatissimo has a win over 1 3/16 miles and gets the services of jockey Ryan Moore, it is far from assured the conditions of Friday’s race will suit the daughter of Danehill Dancer.

Trainer John Gosden won the Oaks last year with Taghrooda, who delivered a powerhouse performance, and is back Friday with Jazzi Top, a general 10-1 chance in antepost wagering. While not as impressive in her Oaks prep as Taghrooda was last year, Jazzi Top, a daughter of the red-hot stallion Dubawi, comes into the Oaks having won the same race that Taghrooda did last year, the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Equally dangerous at a shorter price than Jazzi Top is another unexposed filly, Crystal Zvezda, a Michael Stoute-trained filly who has raced but three times and makes her group stakes debut Friday. She was an easy winner over 10 furlongs last out in her 3-year-old debut and could easily come forward in the Oaks.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has three Oaks entrants: Diamondsandrubies, Together Forever, and Qualify. Joseph O’Brien is on Together Forever, who upset the Group 1 Fillies Mile in her final start at 2, but Diamondsandrubies, who makes her first start in a group stakes, might be best suited among the O’Brien trio to Friday’s race. She comes off a win in the 11 1/2 furlong Cheshire Oaks and appears an improving sort who could stay the 1 1/2 miles.