Island Fashion, Roman Ruler highlight Oak Tree events

Island Fashion, Roman Ruler highlight

Oak Tree events

Island Fashion returns on Saturday after traveling to Japan in June (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) Three stakes -- the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1), Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and Norfolk S. (G2) - will be offered on a dynamite Sunday card at Santa Anita. The Clement Hirsch has attracted a well-matched field of seven, but its Grade 2 counterparts figure to have more impact upon the Breeders' Cup. The Norfolk features ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus), who was a smashing winner of his first two starts, including a seven-length win in the Best Pal (G2), before suffering his first setback by a neck in the Del Mar Futurity (G2) last out. The Bob Baffert-trained colt still delivered a tremendous effort (it was the fastest seven-furlong Futurity in history), and he won't have to face that same rival on Sunday.

Another impressive victory will likely send the dark bay colt

off as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

The Norfolk field, from inside out with jockeys, is FOREVER

FOXY (Foxtrail), Danny Sorenson; COMPULSIVE (Chief Seattle),

Javier Santiago; BOSTON GLORY (Boston Harbor), Tyler Baze;

LITTLEBITOFZIP (Littlebitlively), David Flores; and Roman Ruler,

Corey Nakatani.

All starters will carry 120 pounds.

ISLAND FASHION (Petionville) showed her affinity for Santa

Anita when recording commendable wins in the Santa Monica H. (G1)

and La Brea S. (G1) over the winter and will return to action in

Sunday's Lady's Secret for conditioner Marcelo Polanco. The

high-class filly gets a rider change to Kerwin John and appears

formidable, but rivals SUMMER WIND DANCER (Siberian

Summer) and ELLOLUV (Gilded Time) must be respected.

Summer Wind Dancer has recorded victories in the Delaware H.

(G2) and Hawthorne H. (G2) in her last two outings and is a

multiple stakes winner over the track. Grade 1 heroine Elloluv

appears to rounding back into top form for trainer Craig Dollase

based on her authoritative victory in the Piedra Foundation H.

last out.

Summer Wind Dancer, who will carry 118 pounds with Victor

Espinoza, will lead the field to the post for the 1 1/16-mile

Lady's Secret. Next comes Island Fashion, 120; SISTER GIRL BLUES

(Hold for Gold), Felipe Martinez, 109; ROYALLY CHOSEN (In Excess

[Ire]), Flores, 115; Elloluv, Nakatani, 118; KEYS TO THE HEART

(Wild Again), Garrett Gomez, 113; MISS LOREN (Arg) (Numerous),

Jon Court, 116; and BARBARA ORR (Tale of the Cat), Baze, 112.

Island Fashion and Sister Girl Blues will run coupled.

Run at 1 1/4 miles on the turf, the Clement Hirsch attracted

THE TIN MAN (Affirmed), who captured the 2002 running of this

event and is tuning up for another possible appearance in the

Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), and BAYAMO (Ire) (Valanour [Ire]), who

won the American H. (G2) two starts back and finished a narrow

second in the Eddie Read H. (G1) most recently.

Other dangerous contenders include SARAFAN (Lear Fan),

BALLINGARRY (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and VANGELIS (Highest Honor

[Fr]).

From the rail out, the contestants and riders are The Tin Man,

Mike Smith; PUERTO BANUS (Supremo), Espinoza; Ballingarry, Rene

Douglas; Sarafan, Nakatani; STAR OVER THE BAY (Cozzene), Baze;

Bayamo, Flores; and Vangelis, Jose Valdivia Jr.

All runners tote 124 pounds.