Stays in Vegas tries to stay distance in American Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stays in Vegas has won five races in her 12-race career, all in stakes. They range in significance from the $56,000 Wine Country Debutante at the Sonoma County Fair in August 2015 to the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita last May.

Her near-misses have come in more important races, such as third-place finishes, beaten a head, in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes in June, the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August, and the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar on Dec. 4.

Those close calls put Stays in Vegas at the fore of the field for Saturday’s $300,000 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita. The distance will be a new test for Stays in Vegas, who has never raced beyond 1 1/8 miles.

“She has a lot of things going for her,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Thursday. “We’ll find out about the distance.”

Stays in Vegas is one of eight stakes winners in a field of 13 in the Grade 1 American Oaks. Five have won a graded or group stakes, including Cheekaboo, Decked Out, Mokat, and Queen Blossom.

“It’s a wide-open race,” Hollendorfer said.

The American Oaks is the last of three graded stakes on Saturday’s nine-race program, which begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific. The others are the Grade 3 Midnight Lute (race 3) and the Grade 3 Robert Frankel (race 4).

The American Oaks is scheduled to start on the hillside turf course and make a brief run downhill before crossing the dirt track and joining the main turf course. In the event of significant rain, the race might be shortened to 1 1/8 miles to prevent the field from crossing the dirt track.

KEY CONTENDERS

Stays in Vegas, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 100-90-93

◗ Stays in Vegas faced older fillies and mares for the first time in the Matriarch Stakes at a mile on turf. She led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining and was narrowly beaten by Miss Temple City and Roca Rojo.

“It was disappointing to lose, but I was happy with the filly,” Hollendorfer said.

◗ Tactically, Stays in Vegas is likely to be near the lead and perhaps setting the pace in the American Oaks. She had the early lead in the Matriarch Stakes and closed from third in the Del Mar Oaks.

“She’s strong and not really difficult to train,” Hollendorfer said. “She’ll rate. She can run on the front end. She can do whatever you want her to do.”

◗ Stays in Vegas races for a partnership that includes Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing, KMN Racing, and Larry Roth’s LNJ Foxwoods.

Mokat, by Uncle Mo

Last 3 Beyers: 91-92-91

◗ Mokat won the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 23 in her first start since a 13th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6. Mokat has not raced since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in mid-October. Trainer Richard Baltas is hoping the recent break will help Mokat’s chances on Saturday.

“I gave her 30 days off,” he said. “I don’t know if she wanted it, but it never hurts. She runs well fresh. I hope she can go a mile and a quarter.”

Decked Out, by Street Boss

Last 3 Beyers: 88-93-81

◗ Decked Out is winless in five starts since taking the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on yielding turf here last April. She was second, beaten a head, in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August and a troubled 12th in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf here Oct. 1.

◗ Decked Out raced in traffic in early stretch of the Rodeo Drive. Trainer Keith Desormeaux has stressed repeatedly this year that Decked Out is well suited to distance races, which could make her a factor in Saturday’s competitive race.

Queen Blossom, by Jeremy

◗ Queen Blossom will have her American debut in the American Oaks but has been based with trainer Graham Motion in Maryland and California for months.

◗ Queen Blossom has won 2 of her 5 starts, all in Ireland, including the Group 3 Express Stakes in March. She was fifth and sixth in stakes at 1 1/4 miles on heavy or soft turf in April and May before joining Motion’s stable. The American Oaks will be Queen Blossom’s first start since May.

“She wants the distance, and it’s a good spot to run against 3-year-olds,” Motion said.

“It’s pretty ambitious. She came over in the spring, and we gave her the summer off. The big question for a lot of them is the mile and a quarter.”