Antoinette holds on to upset Enola Gay in Saratoga Oaks

Antoinette staved off a late challenge to upset Enola Gay and win the $500,000 Saratoga Oaks.

The Godolphin homebred, trained by Bill Mott, was the fourth choice in the morning line at 6-1, a figure that fell to 5-1 at post time. With John Velazquez aboard, she covered the 1 3/16 turf route in 1:53.30.

The 3-2 favorite, Enola Gay, took an early lead, but Antoinette moved in front as they headed into the first turn. Those two held the 1-2 spots for most of the race, but Stunning Sky, also at 5-1, passed Enola Gay in the stretch to challenge Antoinette, who held on to win by a head. Key Biscayne finished third, followed by Speaktomeofsummer, with Enola finishing fifth. 

"I think we [jockey John Velazquez] both looked at the same racing form and it looked like we would be laying first or second," Mott said after the race. "He decided he was going to let her lay up close. Last time, he had been tucked in behind horses and tipped her out and she didn't really respond for him. With the lack of speed in this race, we thought just let her do what she's comfortable doing."

In her last out, Antoinette finished third in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 18. The Hard Spun filly stands at No. 12 on the 2020 Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, with 40 points — 20 from the Coaching Club and 20 from her third-place finish in the Fairgrounds Oaks in March.