8 Mzo. USA. Santa Anita Oaks. G1. Santa Anita Park. 8,5f. AW. 300.000 $
1.- ARIEGE (C.Nakatani)
2.- GOLDEN DOC A (R.Bejarano)
3.- FINAL FLING (J.Talamo)


Ariege moved up five wide on the turn and overtook two foes in the final furlong with a determined stretch run to post a half-length win in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Earning her first graded stakes win, Ariege settled off the rail at the start and raced in seventh in a field of nine three-year-old fillies through a half-mile in :47.89.

Lovely Isle set the pace and led Briecat by a head through six furlongs in 1:12.14. Settling on the rail early, Ariege moved up four wide on the backstretch under jockey Corey Nakatani. Moving up to third in early stretch, more than 1 1/2 lengths behind Grade 3 winner Final Fling, Ariege quickly seized command and turned back a late bid from Grade 1 winner and 3-to-2 favorite Golden Doc A.

Time in the 1 1/16-mile race was 1:42.73 on Santa Anita’s synthetic surface. The Santa Anita Oaks was Ariege’s first start on the main track, and her first graded stakes win.

Final Fling finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Golden Doc A.

Ariege entered off a runner-up finish in the La Habra Stakes (G3) on February 2 at Santa Anita. In her North American debut and first start for trainer Bobby Frankel, Ariege finished third in the Blue Norther Stakes on December 30 at the Arcadia, California, track.

A half sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Ballet Pacifica, Ariege is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Kostroma (Ire), by Caerleon.