Del Mar Oaks Odds: The Deserving Favorite Looking to Remain Perfect

Del Mar Oaks Odds and Post Positions

Check out our predictions and odds for the Del Mar Oaks at Del Mar!

Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Del Mar Oaks Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($60 in total)

• $20 Exacta Part Wheel - Anisette over Window Shopping and Impact Warrior  = $40
• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Window Shopping and Impact Warrior over Anisette  = $20 
• If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Anisette (2/1) 

To ensure your bets, check out our Horse Racing Calculator, here!

Unbeaten in two grass starts since arriving from England, Anisette will look to add her biggest score yet when she headlines a field of ten sophomore fillies entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on the turf at Del Mar.

The English-bred daughter of Awtaad started three times in her native land last year, showing plenty of promise while running on all-weather surfaces.  

Since arriving in Southern California and the barn of Leonard Powell, she has looked like a good thing in winning a Santa Anita allowance in May and then the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar last month.

Chief among her challengers in the 9-furlong affair is a pair from the barn of Richard Mandella in Window Shopping and Ruby Nell.

The former became a graded stakes winner in her last when she scored in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in June. She will try to prove that she can carry that form over to turf.

Meanwhile, Ruby Nell will be making her first stakes attempt on Saturday. A daughter of Bolt d’Oro, she has won two straight nicely on the turf for her Hall of Fame trainer.

Del Mar Oaks Predictions and Race Analysis

Anisette

The deserving favorite will be looking to remain perfect since arriving in America. A promising filly over in England in three starts on all-weather surfaces, she has quickly shown an infinity for the turf. 

In both an allowance win at Santa Anita and then a victory in the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar she showed off an impressive turn of foot as she mowed down her competition in the stretch. 

A stretch out of one more furlong in a race with good early speed to set the table should be no problem for the Leonard Powell trainee. I like her chances to earn her first Grade 1 win on Saturday. She is the top pick.

Window Shopping

The second choice will be switching back from dirt to turf on Saturday. A daughter of American Pharoah, she had plenty of trouble in her career debut on the turf. After that, she moved to the dirt and did well, winning two of three, including the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks last out. 

It’s interesting that they would go back to turf for this one, but looking for a Grade 1 win, you have to believe that Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella believes she can handle the surface. 

Like the top choice, she likes to rally and should appreciate a solid pace in front of her. I do think the proven turf ability of Anisette is an advantage, but this one is a clear threat.

Ruby Nell

The second from the Mandella barn is also in with a chance. After a good career debut on the grass where she rallied for a second, she ran twice on the dirt. Since switching back to the turf, she has been a clear-cut winner of each of her last two.

As the only filly in the field without stakes experience, she will need to prove herself on Saturday, but she does look like a developing stakes horse. 

I do like her entry mate a little better in this spot, but it would be no surprise to see her run another very good race on a surface she clearly likes.

Big Pond

This speedy California-bred will be looking to stretch her speed around two turns for the first time on Saturday. She will also be making her first start on the turf. 

A daughter of Mr. Big, out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare, she does have the pedigree to make the transition. She lacks experience with only two career starts but looks like a filly with some ability in winning both. 

Her biggest hurdle on Saturday could be the class jump as she faces open company for the first time. I like others better but she should make her presence known in this one.

Impact Warrior

The first of two for trainer Phil D’Amato, this Irish import has made only one start in the U.S. That came at Del Mar three weeks ago when she rallied to be a good second in an allowance race against older mares.

 Pretty consistent in Ireland, and she looks to have a real future in American turf racing. Like the favorites, she has a strong closing kick which should be well-suited for this 9-furlong affair. 

If she takes a step forward off her first start of the year, she will be a big threat to win. She is certainly one of the main threats to the top choice.

Be Your Best

A stakes winner in New York last summer, this Irish-bred filly has lost five straight since leaving the friendly confines of Saratoga. 

Trained by Horacio De Paz, the Muhaarar filly has not done well in most of those five, but has kept very good company. She did finish a solid second two starts back in the Grade 2 Wonder Again. 

A repeat of that performance could make her a player on Saturday, but her inconsistency is a concern. It is a good sign that her connections are willing to ship and take a shot here. She is a possibility.

Infinite Diamond

This filly makes her third start on the West Coast after running most of her races at Gulfstream Park this year. She did win a stakes race early in 2023 but has finished outside the top three in her last three races. 

Trained by Patrick Biancone, the daughter of Bee Jersey ran pretty well in her turf debut last out, but will need better to seriously compete here. 

She is a filly in with a chance on Saturday, but for me, the negatives outweigh the positives against this type of competition.

Paris Secret

This daughter of Zoffany was a graded stakes winner on the turf three races back but has not lived up to that performance in the last two. 

In fact, she finished ninth last out in the San Clemente behind Anisette. She did have some trouble in that race, and trained by the always dangerous Phil D’Amato, she could bounce back. 

Having said that, she might fall a little short of the top few here on ability, as I believe she beat lesser in her stakes victory, but still, she will have attractive odds if you believe she can pop up with a good one on Saturday.

And Tell Me Nolies

A two-time graded stakes winner in 2022, this Arrogate filly has found her second season to be quite a bit more difficult. 

She has only run in a graded stakes company as a 3-year-old but has not been able to return to her winning ways in five tries. She did show more interest in her turf debut last out when she finished third in the San Clemente but was no match for Anisette that afternoon.

Perhaps she will find a home on the turf, but still, I have a hard time picking her out in this Grade 1 affair.

Absolutely Zero

This longshot from the barn of Doug O’Neill looks to be in a very tough spot on Saturday. She has some early speed but has backed right out of her only two starts this year. 

She did win a stakes race early in her 2-year-old season but has not looked good since. Only a complete turnaround as she stretches out and tries the grass would give her a shot here. 

The daughter of Nyquist should add to a pretty solid early pace, but after that, her chances do not appear good.

How to Watch the Del Mar Oaks

• What: Del Mar Oaks (Grade 1) 
• Location: Del Mar
• Time: Saturday, August 19 at 8:30 pm Eastern time
• How to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Purse: $300,000