Nashoba's Gold will need best in American Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nashoba’s Gold has been nearly perfect in her four-month career, winning three of four starts and two stakes. It is the way she has acted after crossing the wire that has jockey Joe Talamo eager to ride the filly in Saturday’s $350,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita.

“It seems like after the race, she’s barely even tired,” Talamo said.

Nashoba’s Gold will need all of her energy to win the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/4 miles on turf. The American Oaks will be the longest race of Nashoba’s Gold’s career and her first start in a Grade 1.

“If she can run her race, she can run with the best of them,” Talamo said. “She’s a filly with a nice stride. When she gets in that rhythm, she feels like she can run all day.”

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Nashoba’s Gold tipped that ability in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf May 4, closing from fifth in a field of six to win by a length over Sweet Bliss as the 7-10 favorite. Diversy Harbor, who beat Nashoba’s Gold in the China Doll Stakes over a mile on turf in March, was third in the field.

Sweet Bliss and Diversy Harbor are part of the American Oaks field, but the biggest threats to Nashoba’s Gold might be the shippers Little Journey and Room Service. The longshots Kissin Lucky Lips, Loan Savant, and Tiz the Key also were entered in a field of eight.

Little Journey began her career in France, where she won two races last October on the provincial circuit. Last November, she was third, beaten a head, in a minor stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Marseille over 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Little Journey joined trainer Chad Brown’s stable this year. She was a game third in her American debut, the Edgewood Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs on May 2.

Room Service, trained by Wayne Catalano, has more established form, having won the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes on turf at Gulfstream Park on March 2 and finishing in a dead heat for first with Rosalind in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on the Polytrack synthetic surface at Keeneland on April 5, her most recent start.

Room Service is the only filly in the field with experience in a Grade 1.

Owned by Gary and Mary West, Room Service was sent to California earlier this month. She had a seven-furlong workout over the turf course May 24. Shaun Bridgmohan rides Room Service, who drew the outside post in the American Oaks.

While Room Service is well rested for the American Oaks, Nashoba’s Gold is returning perhaps a bit more quickly than trainer Carla Gaines would like.

“I’m running back rather quickly,” Gaines said. “Wayne’s horse has time going into the race.”

Kissin Lucky Lips, a maiden after five races, and Tiz the Key, who won an optional claimer over 1 1/4 miles on turf May 18, are likely to be near the front. The pace is unlikely to be quick, with an emphasis on stamina for all runners.

Gaines envisions Nashoba’s Gold having her typical journey, waiting off the pace and moving toward the leaders at the end of the backstretch. More than likely, Little Journey will be in front of her at that point, while Room Service also will be closing.

“Hopefully, she can get a good trip,” Gaines said. “We’ll see what happens in the last quarter-mile. I feel pretty confident that she’ll like the distance.”