Caldwell Luvs Gold rolls to victory under Manny Franco in Monday’s $75,000 New York Oaks. SV Photography.
Caldwell Luvs Gold stretched out to two turns for the second time in her career and stormed to victory in Monday’s $75,000 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.
Dicke Racing’s 3-year-old daughter of Goldencents, second last time out going 7 furlongs in the Bouwerie Stakes on New York Showcase Day, shipped from Saratoga Race Course for trainer Brad Cox and won the Oaks by 3 1/4 lengths over Sweet Brown Sugar.
Sent off as the 2-5 favorite under Manny Franco, Caldwell Luvs Gold settled into second early as Sweet Brown Sugar clicked off the opening quarter in :24.88 and half in :50.70. Caldwell Luvs Gold inched closer to the leader approaching the far turn and raced just a half-length behind through 6 furlongs in 1:15.12.
Sweet Brown Sugar, who came in unbeaten in three starts at Finger Lakes including the Niagara Stakes last time out, still led into the stretch before Caldwell Luvs Gold stormed past at the eighth pole. Caldwell Luvs Gold, winner of last year’s Seeking the Ante Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day, poured it on from there and won in 1:46.22 for the 1 1/16 miles on the fast track.
Sweet Brown Sugar held second, 9 1/4 lengths clear of the second-time starting maiden Purpose with Dharma, Dreamery and Thirteen Red Flags completing the field.
Caldwell Luvs Gold improved to 3-2-2 in nine starts and picked up $45,000 for the victory to pad her bankroll to $299,765.
Bred by Jeremiah Desmond and Drumkenny Farm LLC, Caldwell Luvs Gold is the second foal out of the Quality Road mare Snow.
Caldwell Luvs Gold sold for $36,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale before being purchased by Melissa and Kevin Dicke of Indianapolis for $73,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale.
Snow’s first foal, the Cupid gelding Eminency, was a winner who earned $98,413. Her third foal, the 2-year-old New York-bred Vekoma filly Saratoga Snow, sold for $125,000 at 2023 OBS October yearling sale before bringing $47,000 from trainer Mike Dini at this year’s OBS April sale. She’s in training at Monmouth Park with a string works, including a half in :48.60 last Wednesday.
Snow is also the dam of a yearling colt by Cupid and a colt by Mind Control, both bred in New York by Desmond.
Caldwell Luvs Gold won her debut last July at Saratoga before her victory in the Seeking the Ante. After back-to-back stakes placings, Caldwell Luvs Gold finished off the board going two turns for the first time in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. She returned in 2024 in the East View Stakes, finishing third, before a sixth sprinting on the turf against older fillies and mares. Caldwell Luvs Gold finished a late-running second in the Bouwerie, under Franco, to set up her run in the New York Oaks.
