Counting Stars much the best in CCA Oaks

It’s increasingly looking like Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will have the nation’s leading three-year-old filly in his barn for the second consecutive year. Following up on Nitrogen’s championship last season, Counting Stars took a serious step toward clinching division honors this term with an authoritative win in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on Saturday.

For Counting Stars, the Coaching Club American Oaks was her second victory at the top level this summer at Saratoga. She captured the nine-furlong Acorn (G1) on June 5 by 3 3/4 lengths and looked just as dazzling in the latter stages of Saturday’s Oaks.

“I'm very lucky because I get to compare her to another one that I have who is not bad. She reminds me a lot of Nitrogen. She does things that normal horses don't do,” Casse said.

Favored at around even-money, Counting Stars led the entire trip. Always a Runner, who beat Counting Stars into third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) before finishing second in the Acorn, took two runs at the favorite. She challenged Counting Stars at the start before backing off entering the first turn and then took a more serious one around the far turn.

When Counting Stars left a path open along the rail approaching the quarter pole, Always a Runner took it. The two battled for more than a furlong, brushing lightly, but Counting Stars found another gear outside of Always a Runner and dispensed with that rival easily in deep stretch. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Counting Stars drew off to win by a commanding 4 1/4 lengths.

“I didn’t think I’d end up down on the rail – that I wasn’t thrilled about because we didn’t think the rail was good all day,” said Chad Brown, trainer of Always a Runner. “I’m not sure the result would have been different, but I would have rather not been there.”

“It was great for racing to see the two of them go at it. We said all along this week that this was round three, the rubber match. So, that's what happened. Luckily, we ended up on the right side of it,” Casse said.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Counting Stars paid $4.08 after covering 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:48.98.

Always a Runner easily held second, 2 1/2 lengths over the 26-1 Casse-trained longshot Measure. Zany, making her first start since finishing sixth in the Kentucky Oaks as a lukewarm favorite, wound up fourth. The order of finish was rounded out by Miss Fulton Gal, Nycon, and Dandona.

The Coaching Club American Oaks was the third stakes win on the season for Counting Stars, who Casse said would likely target the 1 1/4-mile Alabama (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 22. In addition to her two wins at the Spa, she also captured the Fantasy (G2) at Oaklawn Park prior to her third in the Kentucky Oaks. She opened her season with a sub-par performance in the Martha Washington S. and a runner-up finish in the Honeybee (G3), both at Oaklawn.

A Kentucky-bred, Counting Stars is by Honor A. P. and is the first foal produced by the Paynter mare Paynterbynumbers.