Seaneen Girl Runs Away With Monmouth Oaks

Naveed Chowhan’s Seaneen Girl took command around the far turn and opened up a daylight lead in the stretch to capture the Grade 3, $100,000 Monmouth Oaks on Saturday by an impressive six lengths.

Ridden by Paco Lopez, Seaneen Girl covered the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:44 and paid $4.80, $3 and $2.40 as the 7-5 favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies.  Mr Hall’s Opus rallied to complete the $66.40 exacta and returned $12.60 and $6.60.  It was another neck back to Lucky Rag Doll, who paid $2.60 to show.

“She left Churchill on Thursday night and had a 15 hour van ride,” said winning trainer Bernie Flint.  “She basically did that right off the van.  That was a real impressive race from her.  She’s such a nice filly.  The Breeders’ Cup down the road is always something you look at, but for now we’ll just see how she comes out of this one.”

A daughter of Spring At Last from the Afternoon Deelites mare Afternoon Krystal, Seaneen Girl has won three of her 13 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $343,636.

The Monmouth Oaks, which dates back to 1871, is the oldest Oaks contested in North America.