Eight fillies are entered for Saturday's Delaware Oaks (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies. The entries for the 8 1/2-furlong race include California-based Adoration, Kentucky-based Allamerican Bertie and Fly Borboleta, and from Bill Mott's New York barn, Sixtyone Margaux. But one of the local hopes, Graham Motion-trained Alternate, is the program choice for the race.
Adoration, winner of the Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. IIT), is the 8-5 favorite in the morning line. David Hofmans trains the filly for Amerman Racing Stable. Earlier this year she also won in stakes company on the turf, the Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT). Adoration is by Honor Grades out of the Key to the Mint mare Sewing Lady.
Tom Van Meter and WinStar Stable own Fly Borboleta, who was a $700,000 purchase last year at the Fasig-Tipton Florida February sale of 2-year-olds in training. She has two wins and two seconds in four starts this year, including a 10 1/2-length victory in a Churchill allowance last month.
Alternate is a daughter of Seattle Slew bred and owned by Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stable. She covered the Delaware Oaks distance last month in the Susan's Girl Breeders' Cup Stakes while finishing second to Pass the Virtue by a length.
The field for the $250,000 Delaware Oaks (gr. III) for 3-year-olds fillies, from the rail out:
PP, horse, jockey, weight, morning line odds
1--Knock Twice, J.C. Caraballo, 115, 15-1
2--Shop Till You Drop, Harry Vega, 115, 12-1
3--Adoration, Garrett Gomez, 122, 8-5
4--Alternate, Ramon Dominguez, 117, 6-1
5--Fly Borboleta, Pat Day, 115, 4-1
6--Pass the Virtue, Alberto Delgado, 119, 12-1
7--Allamerican Bertie, Larry Melancon, 115, 5-1
8--Sixtyone Margaux, Julian Pimentel, 115, 6-1
