Spendarella targets the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks after Ascot run

Gainesway Farm's Spendarella breezed five-eighths in 1:01.40 Monday over the Fair Hill all-weather surface in her first breeze back since finishing a strong second in the Group 1 Coronation on June 17 at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Graham Motion said Spendarella is targeting the nine-furlong Del Mar Oaks (G1) on Aug. 20.

"To win a Grade 1 would be huge for her," Motion said.

“She actually did a little more than I meant her to do. She really breezed a half, but she galloped out the five-eighths,” Motion said. “She seems great. I hadn't breezed her by design. I wanted to give her plenty of time to get over her trip. She got really tired in that race, I thought. It was very hot that day and I thought it got to the bottom of her a little bit. I didn’t want to be in a rush to get her back on a work schedule.

The 3-year-old New York-bred daughter of Karakontie won her first three starts, including scores in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park and Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland ahead of her 4 3/4-length defeat by Inspiral in the one-mile Coronation.