Flying Glitter Glides to Monmouth Oaks Victory

(from Monmouth report)
Richard and Nancy Kaster's Flying Glitter took control out of the gate and never looked back, winning the $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. III) by 3 3/4 lengths in a surprise Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Flying Glitter set fractions of :24, :47 4/5 and 1:11 3/5 before coming home in 1:44 3/5 for the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old fillies.

She returned $16.60, $8.20, and $5.40 and topped a $69.80 exacta. Shebelongstoyou, ridden by Stewart Elliott, rallied for second and paid $6.80 and $5.60. It was another length back to Toll Taker, with Aaron Gryder aboard, who returned $6 to show.

Culinary, the 4-5 favorite, stumbled badly at the break under Robby Albarado. She recovered well to race close up before falling back at the top of the lane, finishing fourth in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

"The distance was going to be a question," said winning trainer Ronny Werner. "At two turns we failed pretty well (at Turfway on March 26). But that track was really muddy that day. It was still a question today on distance.

"I love it here," Werner said of Monmouth. "I had a string here a few years ago."

Winning jockey Elvis Trujillo was impressed with how easily the filly ran, "We got a great break and were able to make an easy lead," Trujillo said after capturing the biggest race of his career.

"She was relaxed and going nicely the whole way. Around the quarter pole, I looked back and it didn't look like anyone was coming. We cut the corner for home, and she was still running pretty comfortably. From there, it was all over."

A daughter of Glitterman from the Quiet American mare American Flier, Flying Glitter boosted her bankroll to $253,051 and now boasts a record of 4-1-2 from nine lifetime starts. Richard Fox, Richard Kaster, and Nathan Fox bred the dark bay in Kentucky.

Golden Locket, Bayou Breeze, and Merrill Gold completed the order.

(Chart, Equibase)