Saratoga: Scottish Lassie runs away by 15 1/2 in CCA Oaks

In a career-best performance for trainer and co-owner Jorge Abreu, 2-1 second choice Scottish Lassie won by 15 1/2 lengths Saturday in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, 1 1/8-mile invitational that was reduced to four 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

The daughter of McKinzie set the tempo under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario and left little doubt heading into the expansive Saratoga stretch as she opened her margin over 2024 juvenile champion filly and 3-5 favorite Immersive in the second Grade 1 win of her career.

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"Oh my God, this is unbelievable. Winning a Grade 1 at Saratoga,” said an emotional Abreu, who was a longtime assistant to trainer Chad Brown before going out on his own in 2016. “Winning a claiming race at Saratoga is big. Imagine a Grade 1.

“I’m nervous. I’m still nervous. I’m still on cloud 9. I just told Joel to ride his race. I didn’t give him any instructions. I just said ride your race. You know that’s not me being on the lead. That’s him.”

Despite a compact field, Immersive and Scottish Lassie made things interesting early as Manny Franco-piloted Immersive was away sharpest from the inside. She made the front, but Rosario coaxed along Scottish Lassie and arrested command from the Brad Cox pupil to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.81 seconds over the fast footing.

Immersive was angled around Scottish Lassie to track one length back going up the backstretch with Take Charge Milady in third and Dry Powder tracking in fourth. Scottish Lassie remained comfortable at the helm through a half-mile in 48.09 seconds.

The race was just about wrapped up heading into the turn as Franco got to work on Immersive. The gap between her and the pacesetter only grew wider as Scottish Lassie cantered along with ease. Dry Powder made a move from last but had her work cut out for her as Scottish Lassie drew farther away under motionless Rosario after three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.37.

“Turning for home, I was just walking down the stairs crying,” Abreu said. “I'm not going to lie to you. On the backside, when I saw them making a little run at her, I said there’s no way we are going to get beat now. But when she drove away, that was it." 

The stretch run was merely a formality as Immersive was all out behind runaway Scottish Lassie, who needed just one small shake of the reins from Rosario at the eighth pole to keep to task and complete the course in 1:50.23.

Immersive held place honors by six lengths over Dry Powder with another three lengths back to Take Charge Milady. La Cara was scratched because of a suspected strangles case in her barn. Sweet Seraphine was a stakes scratch.

Rosario, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, said Scottish Lassie was well within herself.

“She had her ears up and relaxed. It was just very nice up there just like Jorge said,” Rosario said. “I was worried I was on the lead, but she was doing it easily and nicely, and she was breezing good the last couple of times, so I take it from there after that.”

Franco said there was nothing more he could have asked from Immersive, who completed an undefeated 2024 by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies by seven lengths over fourth-place Scottish Lassie in November at Del Mar.

“I knew (Rosario) was going to go, so I wanted to be outside. I wanted to be in the clear,” Franco said. “I tried to get her comfortable, and I did. She was comfortable on the backside, but by the half-mile pole, I had to go all in with her. The winner opened up on me, and I had no more under me.” 

Owned by Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable and Abreu, Scottish Lassie added to previous Grade 1 success in the Frizette in October at Belmont at the Big A. She improved from a last-out third over sloppy and sealed footing in the Acorn (G1) under Irad Ortiz Jr. on June 6 at the Spa, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in back of La Cara.

Abreu said Scottish Lassie was sitting on go.

“This horse was ready coming into this race,” Abreu said. “Going into the Acorn we were just stretching her out, sloppy track, the 1 hole, Irad gave a beautiful ride, and then I asked Rosario if he was going to be open for this spot. He said, ‘Yes, I am.’ ”

The win was meaningful for Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds, who said the performance more than validated the filly’s Grade 1 graduation last year.

“The important thing is that there are a lot of horses that will win that first Grade 1 as a 2-year-old and never develop as 3-year-olds. Everyone say well, they are a flash in the pan. By winning the second Grade 1, she proved that she is for real,” Weston said. “She proved she is one of the best 3-year-old dirt horses in the world, and it was very satisfying. We are all in this business for value of our fillies. This definitely increases her value and shows the world she is something special. We’ll see where we go from here.” 

Abreu said he will “wait a week and see what happens” before deciding on a stretch to 1 1/4 miles next in the $600,000 Alabama (G1) on Aug. 16 at Saratoga.

Bred in Kentucky by Winchester Farm, Scottish Lassie is out of winning Bodemeister mare Bodebabe, a half-sister to stakes winner Windmill and stakes-placed Ignitis. She banked $275,000 in victory Saturday while improving her record to 6: 2-0-3 and returning $6.70 on a $2 win ticket.