1996 Coaching Club American Oaks



My Flag, the royally bred princess of the Ogden Phipps barn, took another giant stride toward the filly championship yesterday when she won the Coaching Club American Oaks by more than four lengths at Belmont Park. She also brought home the first victory in the Oaks to her trainer, Shug McGaughey, and to her owner, the pillar of New York racing. Phipps's mother, Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps, won this race twice in the distant past; his daughter, Cynthia, won it once. But this was the first time the patriarch of the family had won the Oaks in the 79 runnings staged at Belmont. And it was appropriate that it was won by the daughter of two of Phipps's and McGaughey's most renowned champions: Easy Goer and the undefeated mare Personal Ensign. My Flag left the family in doubt only momentarily while John Peace's Top Secret opened a long lead and held it into the far turn. Then My Flag got the nudge from Jerry Bailey and began to move. She collared Top Secret at the head of the homestretch and, by the time they had rolled out for the final dash home, she was in command. Source

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