American Oaks

The $750,000 American Oaks Invitational (G1) at Hollywood Park on Sunday has

established itself as one of the marquee events on the racing calendar, bringing

together top contenders from across the United States along with a strong

contingent of international invaders. While this field of eight sophomore

fillies may not be as deep as in years past, lacking representatives from Europe

as well as any established turf performers from the East Coast, it still

features a couple of potentially high-class individuals who should fight it out

to the finish in the 1 1/4-mile turf contest.

We'll side with the cream of the California crop, ATTIMA (GB) (Zafonic), who

looked like a star in the making when capturing the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup H.

(G2) over this course about one month ago. The Julio Canani trainee exuded

talent in her wire-to-wire score over multiple Grade 3 winner FOXYSOX (GB)

(Foxhound), PROXENIA (GB) (Pursuit of Love) and GALILEO'S STAR (Ire) (Galileo

[Ire]), relaxing beautifully on her unpressured lead and quickening well to land

the spoils. Her 1 1/4-length margin of victory did not truly reflect her

convincing superiority, as her rider never asked her a serious question, and she

won without having to change gears. Attima is far from one-dimensional, however,

as in her U.S. debut she had tracked the pace in second before sweeping to

conquer in a one-mile allowance. Drawn in post 5 here, she projects a stalking trip

either between or outside rivals, and new jockey David Flores should seize

control of affairs at the right time. There is a distance question, since Attima

has not raced beyond the 1 1/8 miles of the Honeymoon, but with potent stamina

influence *Vaguely Noble and the inimitable Mill Reef appearing close up in her

female line, we think she'll stay the trip.

Her chief obstacle may be the Japanese filly, ASAHI RISING (Jpn) (Royal

Touch), who is exiting a solid third in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Jpn-G1). The

dark bay took the lead in the stretch but failed to last the demanding 1 1/2

miles at Tokyo and was caught late, beaten a total of one length. She's the only

one in this group to have raced beyond 1 1/8 miles, and she'll enjoy the shorter

10 furlongs here. Note that the three fillies who had finished in front of her

in her previous start, the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1), all

wound up behind her in the Oaks, so she's likely progressing. Victor Espinoza

had committed to ride Asahi Rising while Attima had been questionable for this

spot, so we're not going to read too much into his choice. Considering that

Asahi Rising's got plenty of early speed and will break from the rail, we suspect

Espinoza will gun her to the front and try to take it all the way.

Honeymoon fourth Galileo's Star ranks as the most likely to improve

considerably, and at 20-1 odds in the morning line, may be worth a flyer as our

longshot special. Making both her U.S. and sophomore debut for Jim Cassidy in

the Honeymoon, the chestnut ran evenly for fourth, 7 1/4 lengths adrift of

Attima. Cassidy has mastered the art of using the Honeymoon as a prep, having

won the 2004 American Oaks with Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) and

recording a third in 2005 with Singhalese (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]), both of whom had

previously run fourth in the Honeymoon. Not only does Galileo's Star figure to

show a lot more her second time around, but she is also bred to excel at 1 1/4

miles and beyond. Her English form as a juvenile isn't particularly thrilling,

but her connections thought enough of her to take on colts in the Washington

Singer S., in which she finished a respectable second to another filly.

Galileo's Star turned in a terrific six-furlong drill last weekend and could be

sitting on a strong effort. Norberto Arroyo Jr. picks up the mount.

The powerful Todd Pletcher stable sends out WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon), one

of the best of her generation on the main track with far and away the best BRIS

Speed ratings in the field. The burning question is whether the gray can

transfer her ability to the grass, a surface she hasn't tried since impressively

breaking her maiden as a juvenile on the Belmont Park turf. Pletcher has

attempted a couple of turf starts since then, but both races wound up switching

to the main track. That's what happened in her last outing, an easy 4 1/2-length

score in the off-the-turf Sands Point S. (G3), worth a 102 Speed figure and a

110 BRIS Late Pace rating. At a skimpy 5-2 in the morning line, you've got to be

convinced she'll prove as good on the lawn.

Cassidy's other entrant, SOL MI FA (Ire) (Distant Music), rallied to win the

Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Oaks in her U.S. and sophomore bow. The dark bay, out

of Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks) (Fr-G1) queen Sil Sila (Marju), figures to

relish the 1 1/4 miles, yet she may find this group a bit too salty. Ditto for Canadian shipper ARRAVALE (Arch),

who has won all three of her career starts on

the turf, most recently a 3 3/4-length victory in the Alywow S. at Woodbine. The

dark bay should handle the distance but will be meeting the toughest field she's

ever faced.

Foxysox deserves credit for her opportunism to rattle off three

straight stakes scores this spring, notably the Senorita S. (G3) and Providencia

S. (G3). She was summarily dismissed by Attima last time, though, and it's

difficult to see her reversing the result here. The same can be said for

Proxenia, who's twice finished behind Attima.