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Oregon Lady gets up in My Charmer
Nearing the final turn, Trip for A. J. slipped through along the hedge and challenged Denomination when they reached the six-furlong mark in 1:17 2/5. The favorite mustered little in the way of response, and Trip for A. J. drove to the lead in the stretch. She pulled clear in a manner reminiscent of the 2010 My Charmer, but in a bad case of déjà vu for her backers, she was once again run down late. Oregon Lady found plenty of room between the one-paced Denomination and Trip for A. J. Charging through in deep stretch, she collared Trip for A. J. at the wire. "The pace up front was pretty slow," Lopez said, "so my filly was able to rate nicely just behind Jeffrey's horse (jockey Jeffrey Sanchez aboard Callmethesqueeze). We sat behind them (the leaders) until it was time to make our move on the turn and I thought we might have to go around, but a path opened up on the inside and I pushed her through. She responded great when I asked her." "Usually, you would be concerned about soft ground," Attfield said, "but in her case I was rather pleased that it came up that way. She's handled it well before and did today." Another half-length back came the late-running Snow Top Mountain, who closed from last to rob Denomination of third by a head. Callmethesqueeze, Grecian Maiden and Performing rounded out the order of finish, while Tesoro de Amor was scratched. Oregon Lady now sports a 12-5-3-0 mark and $266,178 in earnings. Unraced as a juvenile, the bay broke her maiden at Woodbine in her fifth and final start at three. This season, she picked up right where she left off, with a pair of allowance scores at Keeneland and Churchill. Oregon Lady was then pitched into graded stakes company, but took time to adapt. Fourth in the Grade 2 Nassau and eighth in the Grade 3 Modesty, she was a distant second in the off-the-turf Flaming Page before breaking through in the River Memories. "She was a very slow-maturing two-year-old, but is just now coming around to be a nice filly," Attfield said. "I believe she'll go longer distances when we ask her. We'll look for something at Gulfstream for her next." Bred by Joan Murphy in Ireland, Oregon Lady was sold for $95,301 as a Tattersalls December weanling and $144,410 as a Goffs yearling. The daughter of Shamardal is out of the unraced Gone West mare Oregon Trail, who is herself a half-sister to sire Mutakddim. Grade 1 winner Frost Giant and South African Group 1 hero Kavanagh are also in the immediate family, and further back, one finds champion Rhythm and Kentucky Derby star Super Saver in this rich female line. It's fitting that Oregon Lady won her first graded laurel in the My Charmer, for she descends from the race's namesake. The winner's second dam, Oscillate, is by Seattle Slew, whose dam is My Charmer.
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