Folk to the CCA Oaks!

[my miss storm cat]

GREAT news from DRF.....

Folk to meet girls again in CCA Oaks
By DAVID GRENING

ELMONT, N.Y. - A filly who took on colts in her last start is running in Saturday's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park.

No, Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches did not re-enter the picture. Folk, who got dusted by males in the UAE Derby on March 31, is one of four 3-year-old fillies considered definite for Saturday's $300,000 CCA Oaks. The others are Octave, Humble Janet, and Wow Me Free.

The CCA Oaks lost one prospective starter Wednesday when trainer Michael Dickinson said Coy Coyote would not run because she had an elevated temperature Wednesday morning. That was the same ailment that forced Rags to Riches out of the race.

While Octave, trainer Todd Pletcher's substitute for Rags to Riches, will likely go off a heavy favorite, Folk figures to be her major challenger. A daughter of Quiet American, Folk won her maiden in her third career start here last fall when trained by Tom Albertrani and running under Sheikh Mohammed's Darley banner.

After spending the first part of the winter at Payson Park with Godolphin assistant trainer Rick Mettee, Folk shipped to Dubai in early February where she posted sharp victories in the UAE 1000 Guineas and the UAE Oaks. Her connections opted to try her against males in the UAE Derby, where she finished 10th of 13, beaten by 24 3/4 lengths.

"There had been something [reported] that she had been off the next day, but apparently it was just for a day or so," Mettee said. "She went back into training pretty quickly."

Mettee said he was planning to run her in the Mother Goose on June 30, but he ran out of time getting her ready. Mettee said the CCA Oaks, run at 1 1/4 miles, was the next logical spot.

"This race really suited her pretty well, we thought," Mettee said. "Ten furlongs, you never know till you try them, but nine wasn't a problem for her. She's trained pretty good and galloped out very good after all of her works."

Mike Luzzi will ride Folk on Saturday.