Salimah coming to hand in time for American Oaks
Salimah has needed all year to reach the gate of the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita on Monday.
In January, Salimah won her debut at Tampa Bay Downs in a manner that left trainer Chad Brown with high expectations.
“After missing the break, she really rolled home,” he said. “We thought she had a lot of potential.”
A sore ankle kept Salimah out of action until late August at Saratoga, when she finished seventh in an allowance race. The Irish-bred filly has not lost since, winning an allowance race at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting in late September, and her stakes debut in the Winter Memories Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by three lengths at Aqueduct on Nov. 13.
Of the 11 fillies entered in the $300,000 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles, Salimah has the least experience with four starts but is expected to be a slight favorite.
Owned by Stephanie Seymour Brant, Salimah needs a peak performance to beat a field that includes six graded or group stakes winners.
The race drew a national field. Sparkle Blue, the winner of the Grade 3 Valley View Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 28, will have her Grade 1 debut as will Skims, who won the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting on Oct. 15.
The American Oaks is the second start of the year in the United States for Bellstreet Bridie, an impressive winner of the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 24 against older fillies and mares in her stakes debut, and Mise En Scene, who was sixth at 57-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
The Grade 1 winner Pizza Bianca, a good third to the Brown-trained Regal Glory in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes against older fillies and mares at Del Mar on Dec. 4, is back against 3-year-old fillies with a chance to reverse a three-race losing streak. She will be saddled by Graham Motion for the first time. He also has Sparkle Blue for the Oaks.
Rhea Moon, the winner of the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 29 in her stakes debut, starts in the longest race of her career.
Duvet Day, Lady Clementine, Oakhurst, and School Dance will be outsiders.
Salimah has had a remarkably similar career to Brown’s previous winners of the American Oaks – Competitionofideas in 2018 and Duopoly in 2020.
“They were horses like her that got on track late in the year,” Brown said.
By the Scat Daddy stallion El Kabeir, Salimah will race at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the American Oaks.
Distance “would be the one question mark,” Brown said. “Looking at the pedigree, it may be a little suspect to go that far. If she settles and relaxes, I think the firm California turf will carry her speed a little farther.”
Skims was second by a head in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at 1 5/16 miles on the undulating course at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 5, which has left trainer Shug McGaughey optimistic about her chances on Monday.
“Her last two races have been good,” McGaughey said. “I think she wants to go a distance of ground.
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“I think going 1 1/4 miles, she will be forwardly placed. A lot of that will depend on how the race comes up.”
John Velazquez rode Skims in the Sands Point and has the mount in the American Oaks. Skims is likely to race close to the front.
Bellstreet Bridie raced near the front in the Red Carpet before drawing off to win by 4 1/4 lengths under Flavien Prat. In the American Oaks, Prat rides Salimah, leaving Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith on Bellstreet Bridie.
Mise En Scene will have her first start for trainer Brendan Walsh on Monday. Previously trained in England by James Ferguson, Mise En Scene was second by a nose in the minor John Musker Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Yarmouth Racecourse in England on Sept. 14 before finishing six lengths behind Tuesday in the BC Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/16 miles.
Sparkle Blue should handle the distance, judging from her pedigree. She is a half-sister to Shared Account, the winner of the BC Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles at Churchill Downs in 2010.
“I think it’s the right time to give her a shot,” Motion said. “She’s been a filly that has surprised me. She’s stepped up every time I’ve asked her.”
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