Style Points could be sitting on a breakthrough performance Saturday in the $250,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs.
She is looking for her first stakes win in the 1 1/8-mile turf race that is one of the highlights of the track’s closing-day card. There are a total of six turf stakes on offer, led by the Grade 3, $500,000 Virginia Derby.
The Oaks drew a competitive cast of 13 fillies. Style Points has had some close calls in stakes, and is bred for success at a top level as her sire is the multiple Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance and her dam, Mystical Star, won the Grade 2 New York on turf during a career in which she earned $587,214.
“She’s very honest. She tries very hard,” trainer Christophe Clement said of Style Points.
Clement said there were a couple of different reasons to target the Virginia Oaks with Style Points.
“I thought the mile and an eighth was a nice distance; it’s a good race,” he said. “The filly has been three times placed in stakes. She’s a nice horse. She’s training well.”
Style Points ran third in the Christiana at Delaware Park in her last start July 8 and before that won a first-level allowance at Keeneland. Earlier in the year, Style Points was second in both the Grade 3 Florida Oaks and the Sweetest Chant.
The starts have all come on firm ground. There is a 25 percent chance of rain forecast on an afternoon expected to be about 80 degrees and if the course condition is anything other than firm, it would be a first for Style Points.
“It would be a question mark, how she would act when the going gets softer,” Clement said. “The only way to find out is to run. She’s never tried softer turf so far.
“She’s a very good mover.”
Manny Franco has the mount from the rail for Cheyenne Stable.
“She’s very versatile,” Clement said. “The jock can do whatever he wants with her. She can be closer. If you need her off the pace, you can take her back.”
Aspen Dawn is one of the local hopes for the Virginia Oaks. She is coming off an impressive maiden special win over 1 1/16 miles. Aspen Dawn overcame a wide trip while closing from 11th for a length win in her second career start Aug. 11.
Trainer Mark Casse said the performance earned her a shot at the Virginia Oaks.
“It’s a big ask, but she’s loaded with talent,” he said. “I seldom sit there and say after a performance, ‘wow!’ Her last performance, even though it was a maiden race, I thought it was a ‘wow’ performance.
“She’s there. She likes the course. She gets to run out of her own stall.”
Aspen Dawn, who brought $550,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September, is a daughter of Quality Road and a half-sister to $1.5 million earner Owendale.
Kalispera could go favored off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Pucker Up last out at Ellis Park. She’s also placed in multiple group stakes in Europe.
Awesome Czech enters off back-to-back restricted race wins at Saratoga, including the Suzie O’Cain Stakes.
Deep Satin was a maiden special weight winner last out at Saratoga. She’s been flattered since, as two runners she defeated returned in their next starts to win maiden races.
Colonial Cup
The millionaire Webslinger makes an appearance in the first stakes on the card, the $150,000 Colonial Cup for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/2 miles on turf. It goes as the fifth race.
Trainer Mark Casse said Webslinger was rerouted to this race after targeting a race at Kentucky Downs. He feels the course here might be more favorable to the late-running Webslinger.
“We initially planned on running him at Kentucky Downs, but watching the first couple of days, if you weren’t right up on the lead, it looked like you didn’t have any chance,” Casse said.
“We had him in last Sunday, but didn’t feel like we’d have any shot with his closing style. We started looking around and saw this race.”
L’Imperator moves to flat racing after competing in hurdle races. McLovin was third in last year’s Colonial Cup.
◗ Governor Sam seeks his second straight turf sprint stakes win in the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s for 2-year-olds.
◗ Thrilla, an 18-length maiden winner at Colonial, moves to turf for the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds.
◗ Dream Shake, a stakes winner last out at Colonial, is a leading contender in the $150,000 Da Hoss for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.
◗ Colonial will be giving away Secretariat posters while supplies last Saturday, according to official Frank Hopf. Admission is free.
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