Oak Leaf Stakes

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Explora (Blame) atoned for a runner-up effort to her stablemate Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) in the GI Del Mar Debutante with a comprehensive success in Saturday's GII Oak Leaf Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Friday, Oct. 31. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard when romping in her 5 1/2-furlong debut at Del Mar Aug. 17 and fractionally disappointing after making the running in the Debutante, the $22,000...

by TDN Editorial Staff Buckle up, race fans, it's going to be a wild ride on Saturday, as no fewer than 16 graded stakes from New York to Lexington, from Los Angeles to Toronto are scheduled, with horse racing's championship weekend now officially less than four weeks down the road. Without further ado, let's jump into the always-productive card at Aqueduct. Champagne, Frizette Share Spotlight at Belmont at the Big A A quartet of graded stakes, headed by the 'Win and You're In' GI Champagne S. and GI Frizette S.,...

With four of the six who went to post in the GII Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was guaranteed a placing or two in the 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1. He did better than that, saddling the first three home. Even-money favorite and maiden winner Non Compliant (2, f, Tiz the Law--Sensitively, by Street Sense), the most modest auction purchase of the Baffert quartet, bested GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Nooni (Win Win Win) and...

Saturday is one of those 'burn the candle at both ends' kind of days for horseplayers, as no fewer than 17 graded stakes take place within a six-hour window. Eight of those events serve as 'Win and You're In' qualifying events for various Breeders' Cup races, and even those races that don't offer a free pass are liable to toss up a runner or two or three at Del Mar in four weeks' time. Keeneland Race Course brands its opening three days of racing as 'Fall Stars Weekend' and who's...