by Steve Bailey

Godolphin Racing’s Music Note made a strong move on the turn and powered past the rest of the field in the stretch to score an impressive 11-length victory in the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The three-year-old A.P. Indy filly scored her second consecutive Grade 1 win following a 3 ½-length triumph in the Mother Goose Stakes on June 28 at the Elmont, New York, track.

“She has really improved from her last race,” Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. “She showed a different class than the rest of them.”

Never Retreat, under jockey Mike Luzzi, broke sharply and took the field through a half-mile in :48.18 and six furlongs in 1:13.01 as Music Note raced relaxed in last place in the field of five approaching the far turn.

As the field moved into the turn, jockey Javier Castellano asked Music Note for more run and she responded without hesitation, quickly moving even with Acoma and Never Retreat on the final turn and darting past the two with ease as she continued to open up on the rest of the field the length of the stretch.

“She has a long, beautiful stride,” Castellano said. “She sat just where I wanted her. At the quarter-pole, when I asked her, she just took off.

“I know it was a small field and looked impressive, but she did it the right way. She does everything the right way.”

Grade 1-winning stablemate Little Belle finished second, with Flaming Slew another 6 3/4 lengths back in third as Music Note covered 1 ¼ miles in 2:01.66 on a fast track.

“Little Belle had not run since May and she needed the race,” bin Suroor said. “This race will set her up for her next race. Both of them will go to the Alabama [Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course].”

Bred in Kentucky by Gainsborough Farm, Music Note won for the third time in as many starts this season and for the fourth time in five career starts. She has earned $398,000.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times