DEVIL MAY CARE EASY WINNER OF CCA OAKS


Devil May Care coasts home for a 4 ½ length win in the Coaching Club American Oaks.
Photo: Coglianese PhotosSARATOGA SPRINGS, NY—JULY 25, 2010—Making her case as the best 3-year-old filly in the nation, Devil May Care easily won the $250,000 Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday .

The Malibu Moon filly, out of a half-sister to MINISTER ERIC, gave Todd Pletcher his fourth victory in the CCA Oaks. It was contested at Saratoga for the first time in its 94-year history.

Fresh off her win in the Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I), the bay filly picked up her third grade 1 in five starts in 2010. She was ridden by John Velazquez for owner Glencrest Farm.

Devil May Care faced a solid field of graded stakes winners in the CCA Oaks. Shortened to 1 1/8 miles this year, two contenders were scratched, co-second choice Connie and Michael and Lisa's Booby Trap.

Six head broke from the gate with longshot Absinthe Minded taking the early lead, racing through moderate splits of :24.54 and :48.21. Acting Happy, fresh off her Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) win, Seeking the Title, winner of the Iowa Oaks (gr. III), and Devil May Care were all close to the pace.

As they rounded the far turn Devil May Care inched closer to the lead, taking a four-wide path while still in hand. Velazquez took looked under his arm before reaching the straightaway and after a light tap, Devil May care cruised past her rivals. She had a one-length advantage at the eighth-pole and was never asked while coasting to a four-length win.

The final time on the fast main track was 1:49.42.

Biofuel edged Acting Happy by three-quarters of a length for runner-up with Eurico Rosa Da Silva aboard.

Her other graded win this season coming in the Bonnie Miss (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park, Devil May Care was the lone filly to compete in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 1, where she finished 10th. As a juvenile, she won the grade I Frizette at Belmont.

“You can see by the way that she won today why we tried the Kentucky Derby," said Pletcher. "The thing that I think gets lost in the shuffle a little bit is how much there is left in the tank. When she makes the lead, she tends to wait a little bit, so Johnny rode her perfectly.

  "We tried to do the right thing after the Derby and give her plenty of time to the Mother Goose. She rewarded us with a big effort and did the same today. I’ve felt all along that this filly is the best of her generation and if she continues to run like today, I think she’ll prove it. The Alabama (gr. I, Aug. 21) would be the most likely thing. The spacing is good and it’s a good series for her.”

Overall, Devil May Care improved to five wins from eight starts and earnings of $699,000. She was bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing and is out of the Red Ransom mare Kelli's Ransom. MINISTER ERIC, a grade 2 winning son of Old Trieste and half-sister to Kelli's Ransom, stands at JEH Stallion Station's New Mexico Division in Hondo.

Sent off as the 7-10 favorite, the winner paid $3.40, $2.40, and $2.10. The exacta (7-6) returned $13 and the trifecta (7-6-8) was $24.20. Bahama Bound was fourth, followed by Seeking the Title, and Absinthe Minded.

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