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Wonder filly coaches Belmont rivals

Wonder Lady Anne L posted her first win of 2006 in style (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com) What looked like a contentious affair on paper turned into a three-horse race in the early running of Saturday's Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Belmont Park. As expected with the field breaking in the middle of the first turn, Teammate (A.P. Indy) got to the lead from her rail position, but she quickly found herself being passed by Sugar Shake (Awesome Again), who moved up to take over through a quarter in :23 4/5. WONDER LADY ANNE L (Real Quiet) wasn't far behind, running between rivals as Sugar Shake posted a half in :47 and the quarter in 1:11 2/5. By that point, the sealed, muddy conditions had begun to take their toll on Teammate, who started backing up, but seemed to give Wonder Lady Anne L wings. Soaring up on even terms with Sugar Shake, she kept right on going by to take the field through a mile in 1:37 2/5. At one point six lengths ahead of her nearest rival, Wonder Lady Anne L was all out under Edgar Prado to hold on to the win as Pine Island (Arch) rallied from last to challenge. The winner was three parts of a length in front and stopped the clock for 10 furlongs in 2:04 3/5. "I didn't want to be right there really," Prado said. "I wanted to be a few lengths off the lead. She was doing things so easy I just let her do her own thing. She took the lead at the top of the stretch and I let her run. I think the distance and the track helped her."

As the 9-1 fifth choice in the nine-horse field, Wonder Lady Anne L was worth $20.60, $6.60 and $4.30 to her faithful backers while keying the $56 exacta, $442 trifecta and $2,600 superfecta (4-7-3-2). Pine Island, who posted her second straight Grade 1 runner-up finish after winning her first two starts, paid $2.80 and $2.50 as the 6-5 favorite. Miss Shop (Deputy Minister), another 1 3/4 lengths back at 14-1, finished out the top three to return $5.70. Kentucky Oaks (G1) queen Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid) was another 6 1/2 lengths farther back and followed by Teammate, Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow), Sugar Shake, Baghdaria (Royal Academy) and Vague (Elusive Quality).

Wonder Lady Anne L is no stranger to graded company, capturing last year's Demoiselle S. (G2) and placing in the Davona Dale S. (G2), Bonnie Miss S. (G2) and Susan's Girl Breeders' Cup S. so far this season. Her line now reads 12-3-2-4 and she's accumulated $441,673 for owners Ieah Stables, Jachlen Farm, Sanford H. Robbins and Orchard Stable. Bred in Kentucky by Dan White & Highland Farm, the Richard Dutrow-trained sophomore filly's dam is the unraced Ancho (Wild Zone), who has also produced an unraced juvenile colt named Couley Creek (Pikepass) and yearling colt called Couley (Leestown).

"I wasn't expecting anything like that," Dutrow commented. "She broke good and put Edgar right there and she just stayed there. That was cool."

Wonder Lady Anne L passed through the sales ring twice, bringing $3,500 as a Keeneland November weanling and $8,000 as an OBS August yearling.

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