Society drops in class, shortens up in Charles Town Oaks

Society probably wasn’t beating Nest under any circumstances July 23 at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, and she sure wasn’t beating her after stumbling at the start of a race where she was expected to set the pace. But down in class and cut back a quarter-mile in distance, Society certainly can beat eight rivals in the Grade 3, $500,000 Charles Town Oaks on Friday night.

She might even be a decent price. Society’s last three Beyer Speed Figures are 77, 77, and 78, and several opponents have better numbers. Still, the drop from Grade 1 competition will stand out for many bettors, who also will gravitate to a filly ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Society, bred and owned by Peter Blum, won her lone start at 2 while trained by Wayne Mackey. She was much the best making her first start for Asmussen in a first-level allowance race, her first start in six months, on the May 6 Kentucky Oaks card. On June 18, Society won the Monomoy Girl Stakes by just a half-length as a 7-10 favorite, appearing to idle on the lead before repelling a challenge and galloping out with good energy.

When Society ran into Nest, who won the Coaching Club American Oaks by more than 12 lengths, she had recently been matched against an even better filly, 4-year-old Clairiere, against whom Society held her own in a five-furlong breeze July 10 at Saratoga.

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Society got rank and didn’t run her race after her stumbling start in the CCA Oaks, and while fourth, beaten 17 3/4 lengths, she was only about five lengths behind runner-up Secret Oath, the Kentucky Oaks winner. In her Aug. 21 half-mile work for the Charles Town Oaks, Society went solo and wanted to do much more than she was permitted. She is likely to be happier Friday night tracking some fast front-runners going seven furlongs than she was leading on a slow pace in the 1 1/16-mile Monomoy Girl.

Free Like a Girl would have held more longshot appeal had she not drawn poorly in post 9 in the two-turn Oaks. This Louisiana-bred, who ships from Evangeline Downs, is likely to be overlooked, but she has a touch of quality to her, and this past winter at Delta Downs, which has a six-furlong oval just like Charles Town’s, Free Like a Girl won her three starts by more than 22 lengths combined.

Midnight Stroll could be favored coming off a win in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile contest, and with a win over seven furlongs in restricted stakes company also on her résumé. Divine Huntress finished second to Matareya in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes on June 10 but was all out winning the Maryland-bred Miss Disco Stakes on July 30.

The Charles Town Oaks goes as race 11, post time 9:45 p.m., and is immediately followed by the featured Charles Town Classic.

Russell Road

With Norman “Lynn” Cash, the right time to enter a horse often is right now.

In an era when many bemoan horsemen giving their stock too much time between starts, Cash is going the opposite direction. During the last year, 202 of his 511 runners have come back on two weeks’ rest or less. Cash has three of the seven entrants in the $250,000 Russell Road, and none are going to be ring rusty.

Eastern Bay and Kadri finished one-three in an Aug. 13 allowance race at Laurel Park, while Sir Alfred James won an Aug. 10 allowance at Delaware Park. Sir Alfred James began his season Jan. 1 winning a stakes race at Turfway Park, and the Delaware race was his 13th of 2022. Charles Town marks his ninth racetrack this year.

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The demanding schedule hasn’t broken Sir Alfred James yet, and he is not without a chance if rail-drawn Shacks Way proves capable of running early with Wondrwherecraigis, the likely favorite. Wondrwherecraigis was a well-beaten second as the 4-5 favorite in the De Francis Dash on July 16, his first start since a poor 10th-place showing in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup undercard March 26. At his best last season, Wondrwherecraigis comfortably handled the seven-furlong distance of the Russell Road – but the gelding might not be quite the same horse now.

Robert Hilton Memorial

Old Homestead is going back to his roots when he starts in the $250,000 Robert Hilton Memorial.

Old Homestead crushed his rivals in his career debut and second start, both at Delta Downs over a six-furlong oval. He since has ventured into deeper waters while racing over full-sized tracks, winning stakes races at Keeneland and Laurel and finishing second last out at Colonial Downs behind the very fast Conagher, who runs Saturday in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga.

Old Homestread, trained by Brett Brinkman, should handle this group of 3-year-olds, though Double Thunder, unraced since the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is a X-factor for trainer Todd Pletcher.

◗ Frank’s Rockette nearly overcame a stumbling start to win the Grade 2 Honorable Miss last month at Saratoga, and though the mare has excelled in races up to 6 1/2 furlongs, the seven-furlong Pink Ribbon Stakes should fall within her range. The $250,000 Pink Ribbon is contested around two turns, unknown territory for Frank’s Rockette, but she likely has too much quality for six rivals.

◗ Four stakes restricted to West Virginia-breds, beginning with race 4, fill out the card.