Love, Frankly Darling throw down in Epsom Oaks

Only horses trained by Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden have won the Group 1 Epsom Oaks the last six years, a trend that seems unlikely to change with Saturday’s renewal of the 1 1/2-mile classic.

O’Brien trained the last filly to win the English 1000 Guineas and the Oaks, Minding in 2016, and as of Thursday, the O’Brien-trained Love was narrowly favored with British bookmakers to pull the same double. Love was a busy and successful 2-year-old, counting the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes among three victories from seven races during 2019, and she looked like an improved filly at age 3 with a decisive 1000 Guineas win June 7.

Love presents a far different career trajectory than Frankly Darling, the Gosden-trained filly challenging for favoritism at Epsom. Frankly Darling had one quiet run at age 2, finishing second in a novice stakes at Yarmouth, and debuted this season with a five-length maiden-stakes win over the all-weather course at Newcastle. That start merely was a bridge to the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, which Frankly Darling won comfortably, and be sure that Gosden, who landed the Oaks last year with Anapurna, had this major race in mind when plotting his filly’s course.

Frankie Dettori rides Frankly Darling, a daughter of Frankel and Hidden Hope, by Daylami, and with her success in the Ribblesdale the filly already has shown she can stay 1 1/2 miles. Frankly Darling raced from a forward place at Ascot and, while probably looking a touch less athletic than Love, establishing position near the front of this eight-horse field could give her a tactical advantage if Dettori believes her stamina permits a sustained run to the wire. Frankly Darling’s turf races have come over courses rated heavy and good to soft, and while the Epsom course was rated good as of Thursday, there’s a greater than 50 percent chance of rain Friday night and for much of Saturday.

Rain probably plays in Frankly Darling’s favor since Love’s best races all have come on good or firm going. Love is by Galileo out of Pikabo, by Pivotal, and while she has stayed one mile and seems likely to get 1 1/4 miles, negotiating the 1 1/2-mile trip of the Oaks is no certainty. Love, despite the eight starts, gives the appearance of a filly with elite talent who’s still developing, and she should be set to show her best Saturday.

The O’Brien-trained Ennistymon possesses upset potential. Another Galileo filly, this one out of Lahinch, who was a sprinter during her career, Ennistymon also exits the Ribblesdale, where she raced from the rear of the field before making serious inroads on Frankly Darling through the final 300 yards, finishing second. Ennistymon makes her third start this year and only her fourth overall, and Seamie Heffernan, aboard for her first two starts before the Ribblesdale, takes over the mount.