Oaks News

Boca Grande confronted post-time favorite Perfect Forest at the top of the stretch and bounded home to an impressive 1 ½-length victory in the $150,000 Comely (Grade 2) at Aqueduct, silencing her critics and marking herself as a very serious contender for the 133^rd Kentucky Oaks.

The 3-year-old daughter of A.P Indy covered the one-mile distance over a "fast" track in 1:36.54 and rewarded her backers with $8, $4.50, and $2.90.  Winning Point, a previously undefeated Maryland-based filly, came running late to finish second under jockey Luis Garcia and paid $13.60 and $4.60.  Perfect Forest tired to finish third as the favorite and returned $2.70 to show.

Officer in Pursuit finished fourth and was followed under the wire by Bare Dancer, Lost Etiquette, Fee Fi Fo Fum, and Desire to Excel.  The field was reduced to eight when My Kitty was scratched.

As expected, the Todd Pletcher trainee Perfect Forest was quick to grab to early lead.  Jockey Ramon Dominguez gave her free reign as she tore threw fractions of :23.75 for the first quarter-mile and :47.29 for the first half-mile.  Boca Grande tracked immediately off the leader and began to inch up on her rival after she has clicked off six furlongs in 1:11.60.  Boca Grande took the lead turning for home and refused to look back under jockey Mike Smith as she coasted home to a 1 ½-length victory.  Winning Point came running in the middle of the track and moved into second approaching the wire as she passed a tired Perfect Forest.

Owned by the Phipps Stable and trained by Claude "Shug" McGaughey, Boca Grande ran her career record to three wins and one third place finish from five career starts.  She boosted her lifetime earnings to $241,100, with $210,000 of that coming from graded stakes. Her only other graded stakes win came in the Demoiselle last fall, which was also at Aqueduct.

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