A sharp winner of the San Clemente (G2) earlier in the meet, Anisette heads a field of 10 three-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1). Umberto Rispoli rides the English-bred daughter of Awtaad for Leonard Powell.
Anisette won the third time out in England last December and shipped to United States for her three-year-old campaign, overcoming a slow start to win an allowance at Santa Anita in late May. She moved forward off the comebacker in San Clemente on July 22, closing powerfully to score going away by a 2 1/2-length margin, and Anisette will seek a four consecutive win while stretching out in distance for the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks.
Stakes winner Be Your Best, a neck second in the Wonder Again (G2) two back, will invade from the East Coast for Horacio de Paz following an unplaced showing in the Belmont Oaks (G1). Juan Hernandez takes the assignment. Juvenile Grade 1 winner And Tell Me Nolies will look to keep building upon a third in the San Clemente, which was her turf debut. Antonio Fresu retains the mount on the Arrogate filly for Peter Miller.
Window Shopping, a convincing winner of the Summertime Oaks (G2) in early June, will switch back to turf for Richard Mandella. Hector Barrios will be up on the American Pharoah filly. Mandella is also responsible for Ruby Nell, who rates as intriguing in her initial stakes appearance. After good-looking maiden tally in late May, the daughter of Bolt d’Oro made short work of entry-level allowance rivals when trying the turf at Del Mar on July 22, winning easily on the lead. Edwin Maldonado has the call on the progressing filly.
Impact Warrior, a rallying second when making her U.S. debut in a July 29 allowance at Del Mar, can’t be dismissed for Phil d’Amato. Kent Desormeaux guides the Irish stakes runner-up. D’Amato will also send out Grade 3 winner Paris Secret, who will try to rebound from an unplaced effort in the San Clemente.
Big Pond, who remained unbeaten when smartly defeating California-bred rivals in the seven-furlong Fleet Treat S. on July 27, will bring speed to the stretch out and surface switch. Stakes winner Infinite Diamond, fourth most recently in a turf allowance, is also part of the mix, and projected longshot Absolutely Zero rounds out the field.
