American Oaks a wide-open Grade 1 event

Fourteen are scheduled to go postward in today's eighth running of the American Oaks at Hollywood Park, a 1 1/4-mile turf race for Northern Hemisphere-foaled 3-year-old fillies and Southern Hemisphere-foaled 4-year-old fillies for a purse of $700,000. The Grade 1 race looks wide open, but I think four fillies have the best shot at finding the winner's circle:

GOZZIP GIRL -- Daughter of Dynaformer has won four of five on the turf and is a grandaughter of Roberto, a terrific turf sire. She comes in off a 1 1/2-length win in the Grade 2 Sands Point over a yielding Belmont Park turf course and has won three of her past four. Kent Desormeaux rides.

APPLE CHARLOTTE -- She's a nose away from being undefeated in four starts on the turf and Mike Smith will ride the Royal Applause filly for trainer Henry Cecil. She's been racing in England, losing her last start by a nose at today's distance. She's also won at today's distance, which is a major plus.

ACTING LADY -- Comes in off a second-place effort behind Well Monied. Conditioned by the meet's runaway leading trainer, Doug O'Neill, the Theatrical filly has the kind of close-up stalking style that is dangerous in this type of race. She retains the services of Rafael Bejarano.

MRS KIPLING -- The Irish-bred daughter of Excced and Excel won her last by 2 1/2 lengths while racing four-wide into the stretch in the Grade 2 Senorita over the Hollypark turf on May 3. She beat males in Italy last year and Neil Drysdale is as good as they come preparing horses for races like today's.

Should be a great race!