Apple Charlotte: up in grade in American Oaks Invitational

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

Cecil and Weld chase rich Hollywood prize

Preview: USA, Sunday BST 12.30am Monday

Hollywood Park: American Oaks Invitational (Grade 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo fillies

HENRY CECIL and Dermot Weld go in search of a lucrative prize in California on Sunday when they saddle Apple Charlotte and Rare Ransom respectively in the American Oaks Invitational at Hollywood Park.

Although the race's title is a touch misleading - the Kentucky Oaks represents the closest thing in American racing to afunctional equivalent of the Epsom fillies' Classic - the Hollywood contest is richly endowed, with a purse of $700,000.

Cecil will have high hopes for the Mike Smith-ridden Apple Charlotte, a daughter of Royal Applause who lost her unbeaten record last time out on her fourth start when touched off by Splashdown in Listed company at Newbury.

Apple Charlotte is owned by De La Warr Racing, whose manager Ed Sackville said: "This will be easily her toughest challenge but she had the invitation, so why not run?

"Considering her penalty, she ran a very good race in defeat last time to an improving rival."

Dermot Weld: best is yet to come

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

Pat Smullen partners Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth Rare Ransom for regular US visitor Weld, who won the race in 2003 with Dimitrova.

"She compares very favourably with Dimitrova," said the trainer.

"She's an adaptable filly and she's shipped well. She's matured from two to three and I think the best is yet to come with this filly."

An international field also features New Zealand visitor Puttanesca (Wayne Hills/Glen Boss), who will stay on after the race to join trainer Julio Canani.

A strong domestic team awaits the raiders, headed by Grade 2 winner Gozzip Girl (Tom Albertrani/Kent Desormeaux), winner of four of her last five starts on turf.

American Oaks

Coral: 7-2 Gozzip Girl, 11-2 Mrs Kipling, 6 Apple Charlotte, Well Monied, 7 Rare Ransom, 9 Magical Affair, 12 Acting Lady, The Best Day Ever, 16 Puttanesca, 20 Third Dawn, Lexlenos, 25 Nan, 33 Afternoon Stroll, 50 Pretty Unusual

Also on Sunday

Hollywood Park: Triple Bend Hcap (Grade 1) 7f, AW, 3yo+ (BST 1.30am Monday)

Trainer Bob Baffert has the Breeders' Cup Sprint in mind for the rapidly improving three-year-old Zensational (Victor Espinoza), who is stepping right up in grade after posting big speed figures in an allowance race on the Cushion Track.

Although he faces a ton of pace rivals in this $300,000 event, quantity rather than quality looks the order of the day in a race featuring several veterans of the west-coast scene who are regularly outpointed when they step up to Grade 1 level.

Closing types like Rebellion (Graham Motion/Rafael Bejarano) and Grade 3 winner Noble Court (John Sadler/Joel Rosario) could get the ideal set-up here.

Belmont Park: Tom Fool Hcap (Grade 2) 7f, dirt, 3yo+ (BST 10.17pm, live on ATR)

Track specialist Fabulous Strike (Todd Beattie/Ramon Dominguez), dazzling over 6f here last time out on the Belmont Stakes undercard, tries to last out an extra furlong but faces a potentially top-class rival in the Coolmore closer Munnings (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez).

The latter also scored on the Belmont Stakes card, finally starting to fulfilhis enormous potential in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes over 7f.