Mollie O’ McEvoy has shown enough ability to win California Oaks

The coronavirus outbreak caused a six-week disruption of racing at Golden Gate Fields this spring and changed the training schedule of Mollie O’ McEvoy, a 3-year-old filly who will have her stakes debut in Sunday’s $75,000 California Oaks.

Mollie O’ McEvoy had six half-mile workouts from March 22 to May 21. After the March 22 workout, she had a three-week break between works. Since mid-April, Mollie O’ McEvoy has had a steady pattern of activity.

:: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more.

Golden Gate Fields raced on March 29, was ordered closed because of the pandemic on April 2, and was allowed to reopen on May 14. In hindsight, trainer Bill Delia said on Friday he regrets not working Mollie O’ McEvoy more aggressively during that span.

“The problem is we were off a month and a half,” he said. “I changed her training a little bit. I didn’t work her as hard as I wanted to. I have had a lot of workouts in her, but slow and not real far.

“I wished I could have trained her a little differently. We’re going to run. Maybe she’ll run like she can run.”

Mollie O’ McEvoy, whom Delia owns and bred with a group of partners, has shown ample ability. By the promising young California-based stallion Clubhouse Ride, Mollie O’ McEvoy has won three of five starts since the beginning of her career in November.

On March 8, Mollie O’ McEvoy won an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, disputing the pace throughout. The second- and third-place finishers – Reiwa and Fashion Royalty – are part of the seven-horse California Oaks field.

Delia said Mollie O’ McEvoy is unlikely to set the pace. She will be ridden for the first time by Kyle Frey, who Delia said was aboard the filly for a gallop on Friday.

“This race definitely has speed,” Delia said. “I don’t think we’ll be way back.”

There is a solid group of local runners and Southern California shippers in the California Oaks, run at 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic main track.

Trainer Jonathan Wong, who won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita last Monday with Keeper Ofthe Stars, starts Dynasty of Her Own and Reiwa, the first two finishers of an allowance race with a $50,000 claiming option at a mile at Golden Gate Fields on March 29.

Dynasty of Her Own, who has won three of four starts, is one of two stakes winners in the California Oaks field, having won the Borderplex Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Sunland Park in January.

There are three notable runners from Southern California – Eclair, Mind Out, and Paige Anne.

Eclair, purchased for $420,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita sale of 2-year-olds in training last June, will start from the outside. Trained by Bob Baffert, Eclair won the Golden Gate Debutante at six furlongs last November.

The California Oaks will be her 2020 debut. With Baffert as trainer and jockey Drayden Van Dyke having his first appearance at Golden Gate Fields this year, Eclair is certain to attract significant support.

Trainer Simon Callaghan has two runners in the California Oaks– the stakes-placed Mind Out, who will be ridden by Golden Gate Fields leading rider Juan Hernandez, and Paige Anne, who was fourth in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes behind stablemate Donna Veloce at Santa Anita on March 8.

First post time at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday is 12:45 p.m. Pacific. The California Oaks is the seventh race. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.