Lake Avenue back to form with G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks third

Lake Avenue put a lacklustre seasonal return firmly behind her with a closing third in the extended-mile G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on dirt at Gulfstream Park, USA, on Saturday, 28 March.

Last year’s G2 Demoiselle Stakes winner, fourth in the Busher Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct earlier this month, was bustled along leaving the stalls before being covered up behind the leaders in fifth after the first quarter-mile.

Lake Avenue moved up a place as the first four drew clear leaving the back straight and quickened well for Joel Rosario to take third turning for home.

The Bill Mott-trained filly rallied inside the final furlong, missing out on second by a nose, to go down by just over three lengths to all-the-way winner Swiss Skydiver.

Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell said: “Lake Avenue didn’t get away from the gate as well as we would have liked and found herself boxed in down the back straight. It looked like she was going to make a big run at the five-sixteenth pole but Joel Rosario felt she ran a little in spurts down the lane. She closed well, galloped out strongly and was only beaten on the bob for second.

“We felt that there would be a lively pace up front but it was a very slowly run race. The winner led gate to wire, set very slow fractions throughout and had enough to hold everything off in the lane.

“We are proud of Lake Avenue and she certainly belongs in this company. It was a good effort and we saw enough today to be very encouraged for the rest of the season. She has put her last run behind her and this performance was much more indicative of her ability.”