How to bet the 2021 Jockey Club Oaks

A fantastic field of seven will go postward in Saturday’s lucrative $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks. The 1 3/8-mile affair for three-year-old fillies has a strong international presence with a trio of contenders who began their respective careers overseas, and I think that the race will go through the imports.

#1 Creative Flair (7-2) closed well in the Saratoga Oaks (G3) to be a clear third behind a dawdling early tempo, but she will get a more advantageous pace scenario to work with on this occasion. The Godolphin homebred has finished in the money in six straight endeavors following an unplaced debut, and the daughter of Dubawi will be stronger in her second run in the States for expert conditioner Charlie Appleby.

The sophomore lass didn’t break sharply in her most recent performance, but she has flashed early interest in the past, and I expect the three-year-old to be on or near the lead from the start on Saturday. With a cozy rail post combined with a stretch-out in distance, Creative Flair will have things her own way with Jamie Spencer coming along for the ride. She will be tough to upend with expected improvement.

Group 3 victress #7 Harajuku (4-1) has been facing some major competition in France this campaign and is a must-use in my opinion. Trained by the brilliant Andre Fabre, the Deep Impact filly will have little problem in negotiating the trip, and the fact that her regular pilot Stephane Pasquier comes in to ride is a major plus. This outfit doesn’t ship to the U.S. unless it has their runners ready to roll.

#6 Shantisara (7-2), one of two major players in the cast for Chad Brown, was tons the best when dominating the Pucker Up S. (G3) at Arlington Park last time in what was her second try on the U.S. green. The bay granddaughter of Kodiac has displayed a strong turn of foot to this stage of her development, and if she can handle the move to 1 3/8 miles on Saturday, then she will surely be in the mix with Flavien Prat in the stirrups.

The stateside-based #2 Higher Truth (3-1), also for Brown, is Grade 1-placed on the surface and brings fine form to the field. Daughter of Galileo is a logical top-three contender, but I don’t feel that her morning-line odds are appealing. I will restrict her use to the vertical gimmicks.

Jockey Club Oaks Wagers

• $20 win #1 Creative Flair ($20)
• $5 exacta key box 1 with 6,7 ($20)
• $1 superfecta 1,7 with 1,7 with 2,6 with all ($16)