Spanish Queen to miss Del Mar Oaks

DEL MAR, Calif. – Spanish Queen, the winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita on May 30, will miss the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 15 because of a bruised foot.

Trainer Richard Baltas said on Saturday that there is concern that the injury could be more serious. Baltas said Spanish Queen will undergo a nuclear scan that can reveal more subtle injuries. The bruised foot was detected after Spanish Queen worked on turf Aug. 2.

“She was sore the next day,” Baltas said.

Owned by the partnership of Jack Nakkashian, Harry Bederian, and Harout Kamberian, Spanish Queen was 10th in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks in New York on July 4 in her most recent start. A California-bred by Unusual Heat, Spanish Queen has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $423,600. She won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita in early May.

Without Spanish Queen, the likely favorite for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles is Prize Exhibit, the winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes here July 19. Other candidates are Curlin’s Fox, Her Emmynency, Paulina’s Love, Sharla Rae, and possibly Feathered.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Feathered was second in the American Oaks and the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga on July 24.