The Vicky Oaks
Among the many stakes being run in Victoria this week is the Vicky Oaks, a grade one at a mile and five eighths run over a good turf course. Three year old fillies will be competing for a $500,000 purse. The favorite, Irish Oaks winner Red Torch is stuck on the outside of the nine horse field. While she is a formidable opponent she has never run over an off track before, something she has in common with almost half of her competitors. One filly who has no problem with a little give in the ground is Message Decoded who is undefeated in two tries on an off track. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Seaing Stars 6/1 lgbost6 stables J Cox rides
Seaing Stars is a daughter of Sea The Stars out of the f-grade Montjeu x Rainbow Quest mare Tete Morningrise. The mare has been very productive, producing two graded winners and a stakes placed runner from her first three foals but her fourth, a two year old of 2011 is winless in seven starts. Seaing Stars earned her graded win in the Grade One Japanese Oaks in May over a mile and one half. She’s raced this distance only once, finishing third in the Grade Three Minerve two races back but she did earn her highest lifetime sp of 103 in that race. From two starts on an off track she has one win, a stakes at a mile and one quarter.
#2 Princess Teleria 20/1 tulloch stables S Nightingale rides
Princess Teleria is a daughter of Monsun out of the d-grade Sadler’s Wells x Habitat mare My Island Home. The mare has produced two graded winners from eight foals to race. Princess Telaria broke her maiden four starts back in her thirteenth attempt. Since then she was off the board in one allowance and has won her last two straight. She earned a career best sp of 98 in her last race at a mile and three eighths. She was third twice in two attempts at an off track.
#3 Unafraid 4/1 paddy stables S Dubrich rides
Unafraid is a daughter of Invincible Spirit out of the e-grade Diesis x Lypard mare Eterne. This is her first foal. Unafraid is twice graded placed, having finished third in the Grade Three Nanette and second in her most recent start, the Grade Two Corn Shucker. Both races were at a mile and one quarter, she was sixth in her only try longer, in the mile and one half Grade One Japanese Oaks. She did earn a career best sp of 107 last out but she has never been this far and never run on an off track before.
#4 Wiese N Giant 8/1 manni53 stables J Kohlmorgen rides
Wiese N Giant is a daughter of Wiesenpfad out of the f-grade Giant’s Causeway x Sadler’s Wells mare Giant’s Poliglote. This is her only foal. Wiese N Giant has made only one start farther than a mile and one sixteenth and that was in the mile and one quarter Granny Deal Turf Filly Route. She finished sixth that day and earned a 66sp. She’s done her best running around a mile, with a career best sp of 105. She’s never tried an off track.
#5 Message Decoded 8/1 sender stables Bi Clark rides
Message Decoded is a daughter of Giant’s Causeway out of the a-grade Monsun x Seattle Slew mare Hidden Messages. Hidden Messages was a multiple graded winner on dirt and turf at marathon distances. Message Decoded is her first foal; her 2011 two year old is winless in one start. Message Decoded has shown some ability on the dirt but seems to have a definite preference for the lawn. She’s won four straight races, the last three at a mile and one half on the grass. She earned her first stakes win in her most recent start, the Gatling Apex Turf Mare Enduruance with a 100sp. She’s run on an off track twice, winning both races although one was on the dirt.
#6 Muy Duro 5/1 mtk3man stables D Dowell rides
Muy Duro is a scratch-bred daughter of Smart Strike x Danehill x Sadler’s Wells. Muy Duro did not begin to race until this season but she proved quite good at it very early, winning the Grade Three Penelope Cruz in only her third start. Since then she has added two allowance victories from five starts. The furthest she has traveled was in the mile and one half Grade One Oaks de English where she finished eighth with her career lowest sp of 83. She has never tried an off track.
#7 Akuna Bay 11/1 bbudgiensw stables T Nichols rides
Akuna Bay is a scratch-bred daughter of Lonhro x Graustark x Round Table. She has only ever raced on turf but has never tried an off track before. She’s won two of her last three starts, all of which came at a mile and one half. In her most recent race she stomped the field winning by 4 ¼ lengths with a 100sp, the first time she has hit that milestone.
#8 Lady Skade 9/1 tesio stables M Miller rides
Lady Skade is a daughter of Sea the Stars out of the d-grade Montjeu x Danehill mare Athena Areia. This is the only foal for the three time stakes winner. Lady Skade didn’t break her maiden until March of this year in her first try and a mile and three eighths. She proved adept at longer distances, winning two allowances and running second in another before trying stakes. She was fourth in her initial run, the Grade Two Kirby’s Pool Party where she earned a 101 sp and third in the mile and one half Rage More Piper Turf Filly Stayer in her most recent start. She has never tried an off track.
#9 Red Torch 2/1 cthstable stables D Evans rides
Red Torch is a scratch-bred daughter of Monsun x Blushing Groom x Riverman. The most accomplished runner in the field, Red Torch won the classic Irish Oaks at a mile and one half in July. She followed that up with a win in the Grade Three Minerve at today’s distance with a 108sp. She tried her elders in her last start and ran back to that number finishing a solid second in the Grade One Vermillion Stakes. She has never tried an off track, a vulnerability her opponents will be hoping to exploit.
Good luck to all!