2019 Belmont Oaks international scouting reports: Olendon, Just Wonderful, Coral Beach, Jodie

As in Saturday’s Belmont Derby Invitational (G1), the companion Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) features an Aidan O’Brien pair along with contenders from France and Japan. In another point of commonality, American-based runners have won four of five editions since the race was revamped in 2014. Unlike the Belmont Derby, however, the Oaks has been Chad Brown’s playground with three wins in this time frame, capped by a trifecta in 2017. (And that’s not even counting his wins in its former guise as the Garden City.) O’Brien interrupted the narrative last year thanks to Athena, and her “niece” Just Wonderful hopes to follow in her hoofsteps. Stablemate Coral Beach doesn’t have the same back class but at least enters on the upswing. The Pascal Bary-trained Olendon is the only one of the international quartet to boast a Group 1-placing, while Japanese shipper Jodie might punch above her weight if she embraces the role of controlling speed. OLENDON Bary, who will be handing Olendon over to Brown after Saturday, praised the Le Havre filly in comments to Paris-Turf earlier this season:

C'est une pouliche très qualiteuse que j'ai toujours appréciée.

You almost don’t need Google translate to get the gist – “She is a very high quality filly that I have always appreciated.” Indeed, Olendon’s nominations to such major events as the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) and the French fillies’ classics speak the same language of high regard. Descended from the blue hen *Rough Shod II by way of her Horse of the Year daughter Moccasin, she hails from the same branch of the family as Stormy Atlantic and current Ashland (G1) heroine Out for a Spin. Olendon was favored in her career debut at Saint-Cloud last summer, but ran a one-paced fourth. The chestnut made prompt amends next time at Deauville, where she launched a strong sustained run to get up. Back over the same course and distance in the Prix Six Perfections (G3), Olendon never picked up in a subpar seventh. She was subsequently sidelined for the rest of the year. In her April 14 comeback in a ParisLongchamp conditions race versus males, Olendon was in the hunt before flattening out in a close fourth. That set her up perfectly for her spring objectives. Olendon broke through two weeks later in the Prix Finlande. Traveling well at every stage – into the bit but not too aggressive – she took command and repelled a challenge from favored Blanche Doree.

Game effort - our opener at @paris_longchamp the Listed Prix Finlande goes the way of Olendon, a filly entered in the Group 1 Prix Saint Alary and Prix de Diane... pic.twitter.com/WCvLbfiPT3

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 28, 2019

The form wasn’t anything special, so Olendon was dismissed at 49-1 on the substantial class hike in the May 26 Prix Saint-Alary (G1). But she proved the market wrong when finishing second to hot favorite Siyarafina. Following that Aga Khan homebred throughout, Olendon kept on well enough in her slipstream to claim the best-of-the-rest mantle.

Siyarafina didn’t exactly boost that result in the French Oaks (G1), winding up sixth, but other Saint-Alary alumnae have held their own in the interim. Third-placer Imperial Charm, previously fourth in the French 1000 Guineas (G1), was third again in the Prix Chloe (G3). Fourth-placer Cala Terida was a close fifth in a blanket finish to the French Oaks, and the Saint-Alary fifth, Merimbula, has since placed third in the Prix de Malleret (G2). That synopsis prompts the question of how Olendon might have fared in the French Oaks. She ended up skipping the classic around the same time that owner Gerard Augustin-Normand sold her privately to a partnership spearheaded by Wonder Stables and Madaket Stables. The Belmont Oaks became her new target, and between her prior reputation and current form, Olendon rates a serious threat. JUST WONDERFUL The blueblood daughter of Dansili and Wading, who is herself a Montjeu three-quarter sister to 2018 Belmont Oaks upsetter Athena, has arguably been crying out for this trip. Yet Just Wonderful has been an enigma in both seasons of racing so far. As recounted in her Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) scouting report, the descendant of the great matron Urban Sea broke her maiden in eye-catching fashion first time out, only to disappoint thereafter. Just Wonderful later continued her roller coaster ride when capturing the Flame of Tara (G3), flopping in the Moyglare Stud (G1), and rebounding in the Rockfel (G2).

#RUKMomentOfTheDay: Just Wonderful upheld family honour when winning the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket, seven years after her dam Wading achieved the same feat.

Watch all the finishes from today for free in our results and replay section. https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/5qjaolKd1c — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2018

Just Wonderful was among those who couldn’t get close to Newspaperofrecord in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, but she performed respectably to churn her way into fourth.