BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Fresh off a maiden special weight score in her second start, Florida-bred Lady Lala is set to take on stakes company for the first time Saturday in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park. The $250,000 Monmouth Oaks has attracted eight 3-year-old fillies and is scheduled for a mile-and-one-sixteenth.

Lady Lala was third after a slow start in her debut going six furlongs against maiden special weight fillies at Tampa Bay Downs in April. Trainer Kathleen O’Connell then stretched her out to a mile at Monmouth Park on June 21 and she responded by leading from start to finish and win by a neck.

By Girvin out of the Florida-bred mare Allyouneedislovin, by High Cotton, Lady Lala was purchased by current owner DiBello Racing Stables for $30,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale where she was consigned by McKathan Bros. Stable. Bred in Florida by Kevin W. McKathan, Lady Lala has earned $36,800 in her two starts.

Lady Lala has post seven but O’Connell had not named a rider at press time. She is 12-1 on the morning line.

Favorite in the program at 2-1 is Gun Song, winner of the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico on May 17.

Gun Song is trained by Mark Hennig and in one start since the Black Eyed Susan was eighth in the Grade 1 Acorn won by Thorpedo Ann going nine furlongs at Saratoga on June 7.

She is by Gun Runner out of the Grade 2-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H. and has won three of seven career starts with a second and a third while earning $316,340 for owner R. Lee Lewis. She was purchased by bloodstock agent Taproot for Lewis for $400,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale where she was consigned by de Meric Sales.

Gun Song will be ridden by Julien Leparoux from post five.

Rounding out the field are Scalable with jockey Paco Lopez, Chilled and rider Joe Bravo, Regaled will be ridden by Forest Boyce, Jairo Rendon takes the call on Yes to Champagne, My Two Sophia’s will be ridden by Sammy Camacho and Jorge Vargas Jr. will be aboard Little Jamie.

Return to the July 25 issue of Wire to Wire