Completing a stakes double for her sire, Room Service staked her claim for Champion USA 3YO Filly honours on Saturday with a powerful finish in the G1 American Oaks (2000m) at Santa Anita.
The daughter of Vinery champion More Than Ready completed a feature hat-trick after victories in the G3 Herecomesthebride Stakes (1800m) in March and G1 Ashland Stakes (1700m) in April.
Room Service (3f More Than Ready – Dream Lady by Old Trieste) won by two lengths on the turf course for trainer Wayne Catalano and her owner-breeders Gary and Mary West.
“I didn’t think she would get too far back and the race unfolded like I expected,” Catalano said. “Shaun (Bridgmohan) bided his time and, when he pulled the trigger, she got a jump on the others.
“She’s mainly a grass horse but she will handle synthetics pretty well,” Catalano said. “We will talk over plans for what’s next with the Wests and make a decision. We decided to dodge the Kentucky Oaks because she’s not a dirt horse.”
Room Service and Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable are the leading candidates for this year’s 3YO Fillies crown and it may not be decided until the Breeders’ Cup meeting back at Santa Anita in November.
“We obviously wanted a little pace to run at and we got it,” Bridgmohan said at Santa Anita. “She’s got a great turn of foot on grass and showed that here today.”
More Than Ready is an all-purpose stallion with Group 1 winners from 1200m (Golden Slipper) to 2500m (Victoria Derby). He’s also sired six Oaks winners – Room Service follows Uptown Bertie & More Than Promised (USA), More Than Sacred (NZ Oaks) and Dreamaway & Moreish (WA Oaks).
The American Oaks completed a big week for More Than Ready. His South African based star Banaadeer was named Champion Highveld 2YO Colt on Wednesday.
The Vinery champion also sired Regally Ready to win the LR Opening Verse Stakes (1700m) at Churchill Downs on Saturday. “He’s a really cool horse,” jockey Rosie Napravnik said. “He just picked it up down the lane and his class carried him on for the win.”
Regally Ready (7g More Than Ready – Kivi by King of Kings) won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in 2011 and he will run under the Twin Spires again in the G1 Firecracker Stakes (1600m) on June 28.
Fellow Vinery sire Congrats weighed in with another stakes winner when King Henry captured the LR Penn Dash Stakes sprinting over 1000m in 57.40s on Saturday.
