American Pharoah Filly On Top in G3 Florida Oaks
Stakes placed last out, Waskesiu (3f American Pharoah x Finn’s Girl, by Bernardini) added a graded stakes victory to her record on Saturday with a win in the Grade III Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay.
Racing over 1 1/16 miles on the turf, Waskesiu took up a spot on the rail just behind the front runners as they raced down the front stretch for the first time. That’s where she sat for much of the race until Junior Alvarado piloted her to the outside to get her away from traffic in time for a serious run.
Looming large behind the leader in the stretch, Waskesiu grabbed the lead with less than a sixteenth left to run to secure her first stakes win.
Trained by Bill Mott for owner-breeder Chiefswood Stables, Waskesiu is out of Bernardini’s stakes placed daughter Finn’s Girl.
Of her three winners, two have earned blacktype with son Collective Force also placing in three graded stakes events. Finn’s Girl is out of the Grade II winner Oonagh Maccool, who herself also produced two stakes placers.
Oonagh Maccool is a half-sister to Group I winners Taipan, Ali-Royal, and Sleepytime with one of her unraced half-sisters also producing Group I winner Somewhat.
Finn’s Girl produced a Justify filly on February 24 of this year.
This is the third stakes winner of the year for Triple Crown winner and leading sire American Pharoah, tying him for eighth among all North American sires in 2024. This is also his 38th Northern Hemisphere-foaled stakes winner overall.