Point Ashley Tops Prep Day

Point Ashley, arguably California’s best hope for success in the Breeders’ Cup five weeks from now at Churchill Downs, will shoot for her second consecutive Grade I victory in the $250,000 Oak Leaf Breeders’ Cup Stakes today at Santa Anita.

The 1 1/16 -mile Oak Leaf is one of three Breeders’ Cup preps on today’s card, along with the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes and the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship.

Owned by Ahmed Zayat and trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the Oak Leaf five times, Point Ashley became a stakes winner one start after breaking her maiden July 23 at Del Mar. Purchased for $725,000 earlier this year at a Keeneland sale, the 2-year-old daughter of Point Given won the Debutante by 2 1/2 lengths as the 8-5 favorite.

Third in her debut July 3 at Hollywood Park, Point Ashley demonstrated the ability to win from off the pace in the Debutante and now will try two turns. The Oak Leaf will be her first race beyond seven furlongs, but her pedigree would seem to welcome the extra distance. Her sire won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 2001 and her dam, Golden Thatch, is a daughter of Slew o’ Gold.

“I kind of rushed her out of the gate in that first race,” jockey Victor Espinoza said. “It was her first race and she got a little tired. She was green and didn’t know what to do. But she has been unbelievable in her last two races. I knew she was a good filly the first time I was on her, but the second time I was sure of it. Most of the Point Givens I’ve ridden have similar traits, but this one is something else.”

She will break from the outside in the surprisingly large field of 11. If successful today and on Nov. 4 in Kentucky, Point Ashley will be the third horse in the last four years to win both the Oak Leaf and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, joining Halfbridled in 2003 and Sweet Catomine in 2004.

Espinoza is also sitting pretty in the Hirsch, a Grade I at 1 1/4 miles on turf. He will ride The Tin Man, who is better than ever at age 8 and will be seeking his fourth win in five starts in 2006.

The Affirmed gelding, closing in on $3 million in earnings for owner-breeders Ralph and Aury Todd and trainer Richard Mandella, won the Arlington Million in wire-to-wire style Aug. 12 and probably will try to do the same thing in the Hirsch.

Only five will oppose The Tin Man, who won the 2002 Hirsch. The main threat is T.H. Approval, who has won three of his last four for owner-breeder Tadahiro Hotehama and trainer Eduardo Inda.

Wait A While, the best 3-year-old turf filly in the country, is the one to beat in the Yellow Ribbon, a Grade I at 1 1/4 miles. The daughter of Maria’s Mon, owned by Arindel Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, easily won the American Oaks earlier in the year at Hollywood Park.

Garrett Gomez will ride Wait A While, unbeaten in three races on grass, against eight other fillies and mares.

*

Lawyer Ron, the winner of the Arkansas Derby and, most recently, second in the Super Derby, has been transferred from the barn of trainer Bob Holthus to the stable of Todd Pletcher.

*

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com