Wet Paint looks another masterpiece in Coaching Club American Oaks

Wet Paint joined Pretty Mischievous as a contender for Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honours in North America with a breakthrough G1 victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on Saturday.

The Blame filly took her record on dirt to five wins from seven starts as she reeled in Sacred Wish close home, adding to her three Stakes wins at Oaklawn Park and maiden success at Indiana Grand.

Wet Paint ran a gallant race to finish fourth behind Pretty Mischievous in the G1 Kentucky Oaks and had excuses for her second in the Monomoy Girl Stakes at Ellis Park in mid-June, which was run on a speed-favouring track.

With Pretty Mischievous heading to the G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga in early August, Wet Paint will be aimed at the same course’s G1 Alabama Stakes as she looks to emulate Eclipse Award winner Questing, who completed the CCA Oaks/Alabama double in 2012.

Proxy bounced back from a lacklustre run in the Stephen Foster Stakes as he made all in Saturday’s G3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park on the same day. The Clark Stakes winner usually comes from off the pace but benefitted from a change of tactics as he made all, setting up a return to G1 level for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.

Ingratiating has placed in G1 company three times and the Frosted four-year-old stamped his class on the G3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield in Australia on Saturday.

Hunter’s Light, Postponed, Defoe and Subjectivist have all used the Glasgow Stakes as a springboard for G1 success in recent years. Chesspiece could add his name to the list following an all-the-way success in the Listed contest at Hamilton Park on Friday night.

A first Godolphin winner for Simon and Ed Crisford, the Nathaniel colt looks likely to be aimed towards the G1 St Leger, with a trial for the Doncaster Classic next on his agenda.

Ex Cetera posted a first Stakes victory as he edged out Blue Spirit at Sapporo on Saturday. The Exceed And Excel colt has won his last four starts and headlined a good weekend in Japan for horses bred in Europe and the United States, with Dark Mode, Schwarz Kaiser, Theurgist and Summer Tryst also scoring.

Last season’s Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance headed back out to America on Friday for this weekend’s G2 Bowling Green Stakes. The three-time G1 winner forms part of a team from Moulton Paddocks due to run at Saratoga over the next couple of weeks, with Mysterious Night and Silver Knott in town as well.