A field of seven 3-year-old fillies go in the Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct

By NY Hot List staff  September 14, 2023

The Grade 3, $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks is the feature on the first weekend of the fall Belmont Park at the Big A meeting. Due to the construction projects at Belmont, racing will be at Aqueduct until July when Saratoga opens in 2024. A field of seven 3-year-old fillies will race 1 3/8 miles on the turf at the Big A on Saturday in the third leg of the Turf Triple.

Eternal Hope will make her first start in America as the even money favorite for European trainer Charlie Appleby. The 7-2 second choice Last Call comes to New York from Canada for trainer Kevin Attard after running at Kentucky Downs just two weeks ago.

“It’s coming back a little quick, but she came out of the race in good order and is doing well, so we kind of figured we’ll take a stab at it,” said Attard. “I thought she ran well last time. It’s a different course and she was a little lost and confused early in the race, but she made a good rally and stalled a little in traffic. We ran a game fourth and we were very pleased.”

The $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks (G3) at Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 9, 5:21 pm EDT.

(6) Eternal Hope will make her first start in America for Charlie Appleby following a third in a Group 2 race at Deauville in France. Appleby has had plenty of success sending horses to New York stakes races. (7) Speirling Beag made two starts in America for Graham Motion moving from a sixth-place finish in a tough field in the Belmont Oaks (G1) to a stakes race at Laurel Park where she just missed by a nose. (5) Highland Grace won her last two starts which were at Belmont Park in a maiden special weight and then an allowance. She has been off since July 4. (1) Last Call ships down from Woodbine after running fourth at Kentucky Downs and a series of stakes races at the Canada track. Last year she won the Natalma (G1) as a maiden and moved on to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

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