The Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks Invitational Stakes returns to Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, July 19, 2025, as Race 10 on the card. This $500,000 dirt route for 3-year-old fillies spans 1⅛ miles, serving as a marquee summer test and a key stepping-stone toward the Alabama Stakes (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. With Eclipse Award contenders and Grade I winners in the gate, this year’s edition promises a high-stakes showdown at the Spa.
Top Contenders & Pedigree Profiles
| Horse Name | Jockey | Trainer | Pedigree Highlights | Morning Line Odds |
| Immersive | Manuel Franco | Brad H. Cox | Nyquist × Gap Year (Bernardini) | 8-5 Favorite |
| La Cara | Dylan Davis | Mark E. Casse | Street Sense × Cara Caterina (Bernardini) | 2-1 |
| Take Charge Milady | Kendrick Carmouche | Kenneth McPeek | Take Charge Indy × Price Too High (Scat Daddy) | 9-2 |
| Scottish Lassie | Joel Rosario | Jorge R. Abreu | McKinzie × Bodebabe (Bodemeister) | 9-2 |
| Sweet Seraphine | Jose L. Ortiz | Cherie DeVaux | Quality Road × Venetian Sonata (Bernardini) | 8-1 |
| Dry Powder | Jose Lezcano | Chad Summers | Gun Runner × Tell All (Broken Vow) | 12-1 |
Pedigree Power Plays
Immersive, last year’s Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, is bred for brilliance. Her sire Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby, while her dam Gap Year adds stamina and class from Bernardini. She’s already a winner of the Spinaway (G1), Alcibiades (G1), and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). La Cara, by Street Sense, is the only filly in the field with two Grade I wins in 2025—the Ashland Stakes and Acorn Stakes. Her dam is a full sister to To Honor and Serve, adding elite routing credentials. Take Charge Milady, by Take Charge Indy, upset Immersive in the Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes and has shown versatility as both a closer and a stalker. Scottish Lassie, by McKinzie, won the Frizette Stakes (G1) last fall and has placed in both the Acorn and Wilton Stakes this season. Sweet Seraphine, by Quality Road, is undefeated in 2025 and enters off a win in the Wilton Stakes, showcasing tactical speed and grit. Dry Powder, by Gun Runner, has hit the board in all three career starts and nearly won the Wilton Stakes last out.
Jockey & Trainer Dynamics
Brad Cox, a two-time winner of this race, sends out Immersive, who returns to Saratoga where she’s 2-for-2 lifetime. Mark Casse and Dylan Davis reunite with La Cara, who wired the field in the Acorn Stakes and broke her maiden at Saratoga last summer. Kenny McPeek, who won last year’s edition with Thorpedo Anna, brings Take Charge Milady, a filly with tactical range and sharp recent form. Joel Rosario, aboard Scottish Lassie, is known for his turf and dirt versatility and excels in small fields with pace pressure.
Race Strategy
La Cara is expected to set the pace from the outside post, with Take Charge Milady and Sweet Seraphine likely to apply early pressure. Immersive will sit just off the leaders and look to pounce late, especially with Franco’s patient ride. Scottish Lassie and Dry Powder could benefit from a hot pace and close late. Sweet Seraphine is a live longshot with upside, especially if she gets a clean stalking trip.
