Big clashes were the story of the elongated summer meet at Saratoga, so Belmont Oaks third and fourth Opulent Restraint and May Day Ready facing off again on turf in the $175,000 Grade III Wonder Again Stakes from Aqueduct on Saturday, September 20 is a treat for horse racing fans in New York.
These three-year-old fillies renew their rivalry over a mile with Joseph Lee’s runner successful at a higher level last time. Dropping May Day Ready down to this distance paid off, as the daughter of Tapit landed the Grade II Lake Placid Stakes at the Spa. She has that win over the summer, but also a 4lb penalty for it here.
That puts May Day Ready at a disadvantage against Opulent Restraint in the Winter Memories Stakes, as their prior encounter took place off level weights. Lee has legendary Italian jockey Frankie Dettori back on board his filly now after Jose Ortiz deputized in the Lake Placid.
Rain earlier impacted the Belmont Stakes program and race schedule, so that May Day Ready ran on a sloppy surface back in June. There were a number of non-runners in the Grade III Wonder Again Stakes including Opulent Restraint and swerving wet weather could’ve been a smart play from Chad Brown.
His filly by Dubawi made the show in both the Belmont and Saratoga Oaks over 1,800 and 1,900m. On the first of those runs, Opulent Restraint crossed the wire over three lengths ahead of May Day Ready. Bettors need to consider several things in round two of this head-to-head: pedigree, potential for further improvement, and the distance and conditions of the race.
Winter Memories Stakes Terms Favor Opulent Restraint
Although beaten a neck by Laurelin over course and distance in the Memories Of Silver Stakes earlier in the season, Brown saw the form confirmed by the winner over his charge in the Saratoga Oaks. The margin between that one and Opulent Restraint widened at the Spa to 2.5 lengths, but tackling a longer trip seemed to favor Laurelin.
Belmont Oaks winner Fionn, meanwhile, has come out and won the valuable Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs. Both she and May Day Ready have franked that form, and Opulent Restraint now meets her old rival on 4lb better terms. It makes a huge difference to how the best Belmont Stakes racebooks and oddsmakers shape their Morning Line odds for this race.
Not that the Winter Memories Stakes is just a match on paper between these two fillies. A field of 10 (plus one also eligible) line up at Aqueduct. Both Charles Town Oaks fourth Paradise City and Monmouth Oaks equivalent Ruth switch from dirt to turf here. On the Lake Placid performance, May Day Ready has nothing to fear from re-opposing sixth Scarlet Sands.
Ready For Candy won her US debut for Philip Antonacci, but must improve on her prior Canadian form. Kenny McPeek’s Decadent won her first two starts over the winter, meanwhile, yet hasn’t built on that promise. Trail Of Gold took one of the Restricted Stakes races for NY-bred horses at Saratoga last time, so steps out of that niche into an open graded event.
Griselda gives the Brown barn a second string and could be anything following a minor win. Transatlantic import Sea To Sky showed in a Listed juvenile race at Newbury over a straight 1,400m before leaving England, so could be capable of better than her American bow for Cherie DeVaux.
Winter Memories Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw
- Opulent Restraint (118lbs)
- May Day Ready (122lbs)
- Ready For Candy (118lbs)
- Decadent (118lbs)
- Ruth (118lbs)
- Trail Of Gold (120lbs)
- Paradise City (118lbs)
- Scarlet Sands (120lbs)
- Griselda (118lbs)
- Sea To Sky (118lbs)
- Kay Cup (122lbs) [ALSO ELIGIBLE / RESERVE]
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
The clinching argument in picking between May Day Ready and Opulent Restraint is the difference in weights from their last meeting. As the former is 4lb worse off with the latter, Brown’s filly should confirm the Belmont Oaks form, which looks rock solid and reads well in relation to this lower grade event.
Of the others, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Sea To Sky improved for her first run stateside. Her Listed third has been franked by the second dead-heating in a Glorious Goodwood Group 3 and finishing a narrow runner-up again in Group 2 company. Griselda is an unknown quantity, meanwhile, and Trail Of Gold could be another that steps up.
WATCH: Opulent Restraint & May Day Ready Run in the Belmont Oaks
