It's Tricky wore down favored Plum Pretty after a head-to-head battle down the stretch to win the $250,000 Coaching Club American Oaks by three-quarters of a length Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
Eddie Castro rode It's Tricky, who engaged the front-running Kentucky Oaks winner with three furlongs to run and prevailed only in the final strides of 1-1/8 miles run in 1 minute, 49.15 seconds. Royal Delta was third of five 3-year-old fillies.
''Around the three-eighths, I knew (Martin Garcia, riding Plum Pretty) had a lot of horse, too,'' Castro said. ''I had to put pressure and ride her really hard. When I hit her left-handed, she came on and fought again.''
The victory was the fourth from five starts for the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained It's Tricky and second in Grade I company. She paid $10.60 for a win bet.
''This is her third time around two turns that's she's won,'' McLaughlin said. ''We always thought that distance should be no problem. If it's 1-1/4 miles in a month, we're not worried about the distance.''
It's Tricky earned $150,000 for her owner, Godolphin Stable.
