How to bet the 2023 Del Mar Oaks

A field of 10 three-year-old fillies will run 1 1/8 miles on the turf in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1). The grassy feature attracted a fine cast, led by San Clemente S. (G2) heroine #5 Anisette for conditioner Leonard Powell. The Awtaad filly is two-for-two since arriving in the states and is proven on the local surface following a fantastic score last time out when powerfully blowing past her rivals late last time out.

Del Mar Oaks Wagers

$30 win #5 Anisette ($30)

$1 trifecta 5,6 with 2,5,6 with all ($16)

$1 superfecta 5 with 2,6 with 2,6 with all ($14)

The dark bay stretches out beyond a mile for the first time on this occasion, but if her latest performance was any indication, then she will have no trouble negotiating nine furlongs on Saturday. A winner of three straight dating back to December, the talented miss will be unhurried in the early stages prior to unleashing her potent late kick with Umberto Rispoli coming back to ride.

It’s hard to ignore any runner from the Phil D’Amato shedrow in the stakes races on the turf at Del Mar, and #6 Impact Warrior looks like a major contender to me in this one. The Saxon Warrior filly made her U. S. debut on July 29 and finished a clear runner-up in an allowance tilt in a race that will set her up well for this affair. The Irish-bred bay did her best running late at eight panels most recently and seems poised to thrive with the added ground on Saturday. Kent Desormeaux retains the mount atop the dangerous bay.

Of the Richard Mandella duo in the cast, I have a preference for recent Summertime Oaks (G2) queen #2 Window Shopping. Unplaced on the turf in her debut offering in November, the chestnut daughter of American Pharoah is obviously a much better animal right now and is bred to love the surface change, as well. The Kentucky-bred filly possesses a measure of tactical foot and will stalk the pace while saving ground under strong turf pilot Hector Berrios.