Santa Anita: Exotics Plays for the 2024 American Oaks

A big field of 13 sophomore fillies will run 1 1/4 miles on the lawn at Santa Anita in Thursday’s $300,000 American Oaks (G1). 

American Oaks Exotic Bets

• $10 exacta 8 with 3,11 ($20)
• $1 trifecta key 8 with 3,4,5,11,13 ($20)
• 20-cent superfecta 8 with 3,11 with 3,4,5,11,13 with all ($16)

American Oaks Betting Analysis

The finale on a fantastic opening day of racing is led by two-time Grade 1 heroine #8 She Feels Pretty (7-5) and the race will go through the Cherie DeVaux trainee. The Karakontie filly won on debut in a turf dash at Ellis Park last season and followed that victory with a decisive, 4 1/4-length romp in the subsequent Natalma S. (G1) at Woodbine. She concluded her 2023 campaign with a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) on this course. 

The Kentucky-bred dominated the Hilltop S. in her sophomore bow, and ran well while close under the line in both the Belmont Oaks (G1) and Lake Placid S. (G2) in the summer. In her latest performance, the classy lass unleashed a devastating turn of foot to take the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland by six widening lengths in her first effort with blinkers added. Regular pilot John Velazquez comes out to guide the star. 

A case can be made for numerous exotics contenders in the deep field. I’ll go outside the box a bit and include #11 Mizzyaan (20-1), one of two in the affair for trainer Michael McCarthy. The Group 3-placed daughter of Justify has displayed a solid turn of foot running shorter in her last three, and I expect the chestnut to appreciate the move to 10 panels on Thursday. She is taking a major class hike, obviously, but the well-bred filly is cut out to handle the voyage and comes in fresh with Umberto Rispoli in the silks. The price will be right, too. 

Grade 3 heroine #3 Medoro (6-1) has never finished out of the top three in seven runs to her credit, all on the lawn, and the Peter Eurton pupil is very comfortable at Santa Anita with a 4-3-1-0 lifetime line on the oval. I don’t believe that 1 1/4 miles is out of her range, and the Honor Code filly will be saving ground while stalking the early pace beneath regular rider Antonio Fresu.

Dueling Grounds Oaks victress #4 Kathynmarissa (4-1), Autumn Miss S. (G3) upsetter #5 Watchtower (10-1), and Jonathan Thomas’ streaking #13 Rashmi (12-1) will also be added to my vertical plays.