Exotics Plays for the 2023 Coaching Club American Oaks

A total of six three-year-old fillies will vie in Saturday’s $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga. The affair attracted a few of the leading sophomores in the division currently in what I expect to be a very competitive event.

I expected a huge run from #1 Southlawn (9-2) in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) but the Norm Casse never fired beneath the Twin Spires. A convincing winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) two prior, the Pioneerof the Nile filly has been freshened up for this test and I love that her connections landed in this spot off the layoff.

Southlawn has trained in smart fashion leading up to her return, and from a running style perspective, the $290,000 yearling purchase could sit an ideal trip to the top of the lane on Saturday while getting first run on the pair of talented late runners in the cast. The tactical Kentucky-bred will never be far from the pace in the tilt and I feel that she will be the one to run down inside the final furlong with Florent Geroux picking up the mount.

#2 Wet Paint (2-1) is a consistently good late runner who might thrive traveling 1 1/8 miles on the Saratoga main surface. Trained by Brad Cox, the Godolphin homebred had a useful prep for this affair when a clear second going a mile on the speed-favoring surface at Ellis Park most recently, and she posted a trio of solid drills in the interim, as well. The Blame filly, who reeled off a trio of stakes wins in succession earlier in the season, will do her best work in the stretch with Flavien Prat in the silks.

Grade 2 heroine #5 Hoosier Philly (5-2), who strolled home in the Monomoy Girl S. most recently, and Kentucky Oaks runner-up #4 Gambling Girl (5-2), will also be included for obvious reasons in my vertical wagers.

Coaching Club American Oaks Exotics Wagers

• $20 exacta: 1 with 2 ($20)
• $8 exacta box: 1-2 ($16)
• $1 superfecta: 1,2 with 1,2,4,5 with 1,2,4,5 with 1,2,4,5 ($12)