Ricardo Santana Jr. takes a look back and sees Oh is clear en route to winning Monday’s Lady Finger at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
Oh won the battle and almost lost the war, but had enough left in the tank to capture the $116,000 Lady Finger Stakes for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies Monday at Finger Lakes.
After engaging in a fierce pace battle with Margarita Molly in the 5 1/2-furlong stakes, the William “Buck” Butler homebred had to hold off the fast-closing first-time starter Liberty’s Advance.
The Lady Finger was almost an instant replay of Oh’s first career start at Saratoga Race Course August 28, when she took the lead turning for home and held on to win by a half-length.
Reylu Gutierrez was intent on making the lead aboard Margarita Molly, but was never able to get any separation from Oh as the pair dueled through a quarter mile in :22.32. Ricardo Santana Jr. and Oh got a head in front around the turn and appeared to be traveling better than the hard-ridden Margarita Molly.
Once odds-on favorite Oh vanquished her opponent, she appeared to be headed for an easy victory, but the combination of an honest pace (:46.21 for a half-mile) and her ducking in then drifting out in the stretch welcomed Liberty’s Advance into the fray. Oh dug in when it counted, however, and won by a half-length in a final time of 1:06.06 over the sloppy and sealed track. Mobelladream was third with Margarita Molly fourth.
Oh is by graded stakes-placed Honest Mischief, 2024’s leading freshman sire outside of Kentucky, who stands for $7,500 at Sequel New York in Hudson. She is the only winning foal to date out of the unraced Scat Daddy mare Hot Spark, who sold for $15,000 in foal to Honest Mischief at the Fasig-Tipton August Digital Selected Sale in 2024.
Trainer Mike Maker won his eighth stakes race in 15 starts at Finger Lakes over the last five years, then added another when Arctic Beast took the subsequent Aspirant for 2-year-old New York-bred colts and geldings. – Paul Halloran
