The $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles on the main track, is the third leg of the New York Triple Tiara as well as the last graded stakes race of the Belmont Park spring meet. Godolphin Racing sent a powerful two-horse entry consisting of Mother Goose winner Music Note and Ashland winner Little Belle. The entry was bet down to 3-10 favoritism. In to challenge the Saeed bin Suroor-trained entry were Dogwood Stakes winner Acoma at 5-2, Mother Goose and Susan's Girl third place finisher Never Retreat at 9-1, and Flaming Stew at 20-1, making her stakes debut but winless since breaking her maiden at Turfway in March.
Never Retreat and Flaming Stew contested the early lead setting a pace of 24.19, 48.18, and 1:13.01 over the fast track, before Never Retreat tired to eventually finish last. Music Note, who trailed the field early but kept wide for room, was asked by Javier Castellano at the 3/8 pole and she easily accelerated past the rest of the field, taking over the lead after a mile in 1:37.49. Little Belle, who was fourth early, chased her stablemate into the stretch but Music Note was long gone. Music Note opened up a 6 length lead at the 1/8 pole and continued to widen the gap late, cruising under the line 11 lengths ahead of Little Belle, completing the 1 1/4 mile trip in 2:01.66. It was another 6 3/4 lengths back to Flaming Stew third.
Results chart from DRF
