Saratoga

TWO fillies Grade 1s highlight the weekend action in the US.

The Grade 1 Alabama Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales has a field of 10 headed by Godolphin’s Wet Paint. Winner last time out of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at the Spa, she bids to add to two earlier graded race wins at Oaklawn Park.

She again faces Sacred Wish and Gambling Girl who finished second and third in the CCA.

None of the 10 runners have raced at a mile and a quarter distance but Wet Paint’s running style and being by Blame offers good prospects of it being suitable.

She was also sent off as the 8/5 favourite in the Kentucky Oaks but had to settled for fourth, three lengths behind fellow Godolphin runner Pretty Mischievous.

The Chad Brown/Joel Rosario/Klaravich Stables combination provide her chief rival in the Nyquist filly Randomized, a blacktype winner here last time out.

Todd Pletcher sends out a trio of fillies in Gambling Girl, Julia Shining and Chocolate Gelato as he bids for a third straight Alabama win in a row. Wet Paint should get her second Grade 1 here.

Del Mar

The west coast feature is the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on turf over nine furlongs with three Irish-bred fillies in the field.

Impact Warrior (Saxon Warrior) now trained by Phil D’Amato won a Roscommon maiden for Paddy Twomey, this is her second stateside outing for the Ballylinch Stud bred filly.

Paris Secret (Zoffany) also with Phil D’Amato won a Galway maiden for Andy Oliver and a Grade 3 at Santa Anita on her American debut at the end of April. She was well behind Anisette though last time in a Grade 2.

Be Your Best (Muhaarar) is trained by Horacio De Paz and has kept top company, a second in the Grade 2 Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont her best run of the season.

Favourite is Anisette, an Awtaad filly who won her maiden in Britian at Wolverhampton for Kevin Philippart De Foy before moving stateside to Leonard Powell.

She has won her three outings in American including a last time out impressive win here at Del Mar in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes.

Window Shopping, an American Pharoah filly for Richard Mandella, is the other top choice after winning Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks.