Flute Plays with Saratoga Allowance Field

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Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Flute toyed with her six foes in an allowance contest at Saratoga Friday, coming home by an easy four lengths over Deborah in the nine-furlong sixth race. Transcendental finished third.

The 3-year-old daughter of Seattle Slew out of Rougeur was making her first start since the Oaks nearly three months ago, and just the fifth outing of her career. She broke slowest of all from the inside gate, and was unhurried into the first bend as Shiny Band set the early fractions of :24.67 and :48.72. Rider Jerry Bailey moved Flute off the rail onto the backstretch, and she inched closer to the leaders along the straightaway.

Sitting fourth entering the final turn, Bailey waited patiently until the frontrunners drifted outside after a mile in 1:37:05. Using the rail split, Flute blew by her competition in a matter of yards and cruised under the wire in 1:49.65. She paid $2.60 for the win. The victory pushed Flute's record to three wins from five starts, and earnings have now topped $500,000 for Juddmonte Farms, who also bred her. Flute is conditioned by Bobby Frankel, who will point her to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Distaff (gr. I) at Belmont Park in October.

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