Michael Tabor's Love Locket, from the very deep stable of Todd Pletcher, is one of the horses to watch in a compact but talented field of six entered for the $200,000 Monmouth Park Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. III) Sunday. The 3-year-old bay filly by Thunder Gulch has been stabled at Monmouth with Pletcher assistant Anthony Sciametta Jr. the past three months. She punched her ticket to the 1 1/16-mile Oaks by winning the Serena's Song Stakes there on July 22 in convincing fashion.
"It's only been three weeks since she raced, and she's coming back a little too short. We both would have liked a little more time between races," Sciametta said, "but Todd says she's going in the Oaks no matter what. Todd said this is her Breeders' Cup race at Monmouth."
Love Locket had five weeks between her local debut (she was fourth in a Monmouth sprint on June 17) and the Serena's Song, but this will be only her third start of the year.
"She's been training well this week," Sciametta said, "and she loves this track, and the distance is right. Sometimes the races don't fall where you want them to, and you have to adjust."
Love Locket has won two of three starts at Monmouth, with her only loss coming in that sprint. She's won both her two-turn tries at the New Jersey track, and has a perfect three-for-three record in races at the distance.Christopher P. DeCarlo rides Love Locket, who breaks from post 3.
The Monmouth BC Oaks drew the second, third in fourth-place finishers behind Adieu in the Delaware Oaks (gr. II) July 15: Amandatude, Gasia and Peak Maria's Way.Susan Knoll's Gasia, to be ridden by Mario Pino Sunday, won Susan's Girl Breeders' Cup at Delaware June 18 for trainer J. Larry Jones. $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. III, Race 9, 4:52 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Peak Maria's Way (KY), 118, Stewart Elliott
2. Mo Cuishle (KY), 118, Jose A. Santos
3. Love Locket (KY), 118, Christopher P. DeCarlo
4. Gasia (KY), 120, Mario G. Pino
5. Amandatude (KY), 118, Joe Bravo
6. Last Romance (KY), 118, Eddie Castro