Pletcher sending two in CCA Oaks

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - With division leader Untapable confirmed to take on males in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 27, the field for Sunday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga is expected to draw a field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

The field will be led by Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia and her stablemate Stopchargingmaria, the winner of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. Both fillies are trained by Todd Pletcher.

Trainer Bill Mott on Tuesday confirmed that he will run both America and Miss Besilu in the Coaching Club, to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

America, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, comes off a third-place finish to Untapable in the Mother Goose. She was beaten a neck for second by Princess Violet.

“It looks like she can lay a little closer with a good break, and she finished well,” Mott said. “A couple more jumps, she’s going to be second, so we were happy with it.”

Miss Besilu, a $2.6 million weanling purchase by Benjamin Leon, finished second in a second-level allowance race at Belmont on June 19. That was her first start on dirt since she debuted last October at Belmont.

“I thought it was a good race,” Mott said. “The fact that she got beat is a little deceiving. If she wasn’t blocked the other day in a five-horse field, she probably would have been right there. I’m not saying she would have won, but she would have made more of a race of it, I’m sure.”

Also expected for the CCA Oaks are Unbridled Forever, third in the Kentucky Oaks and Acorn; Taketheodds, a winner of her last two at Churchill; and Courageous Julie, an allowance winner at Churchill.