BUSY HOLIDAY WEEKEND FOR OP RUNNERS
Quite a few Oaklawn-raced horses will have a good time the July 4 vacation weekend by competing in stakes races throughout the nation.
The heaviest focus of distinguished Oaklawn runners is within the annual Iowa Competition of Racing Friday and Saturday at Prairie Meadows. The Iowa Competition of Racing options eight stakes races – 4 every day – highlighted by $300,000 G3-Cornhusker Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.
Saturday’s Cornhusker drew a subject of 11, together with millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Pink Route One for Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen and Grade 3 winner Hit Present for coach Brad Cox. Pink Route One, the 5-2 program favourite, captured the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles final yr at Oaklawn. The Bathhouse Row marked the 868th profession Oaklawn victory for Asmussen, shifting him previous the late Bob Holthus because the winningest coach in Oaklawn historical past. Pink Route One began as soon as this season at Oaklawn, ending third within the $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap April 20.
Cristian Torres, Oaklawn’s main rider the final two seasons, is called to journey Pink Route One from publish 5. Pink Route One was assigned high weight of 120 kilos.
Hit Present, the 3-1 second selection in this system, exits a 2 ¼-length allowance victory at 1 1/8 miles in his 4-year-old debut Could 11 at Churchill Downs. Following an allowance victory in December 2022 at Oaklawn, Hit Present gained the $250,000 G3-Withers Stakes at Aqueduct earlier than ending fifth within the Kentucky Derby and dead-heating for fourth within the Belmont Stakes. Hit Present is scheduled to interrupt from publish 6 for Cox, Oaklawn’s fifth-leading coach this season.
Different Cornhusker entrants embrace Oaklawn stakes winner Ain’t Life Grand and Oaklawn maiden particular weight and allowance winner Heroic Transfer.
Friday’s $100,000 Iowa Dash Stakes drew three Oaklawn stakes winners – Depend de Monet, Confidence Recreation and Jaxon Traveler (the 5-2 program favourite) – and Oaklawn winners Necker Island and Peace Canine. The Iowa Dash is for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.
Among the many Oaklawn-raced horses entered in Saturday’s $250,000 Iowa Derby are Dimatic, Northern Flame and Subsequent Degree.
Dimatic represented Asmussen’s record-tying 71st victory on the 2023-2024 Oaklawn assembly in a Could 5 allowance race. Northern Flame and Subsequent Degree completed third and eighth, respectively, in Oaklawn’s $1.25 million G2-Insurgent Stakes.
Romping Oaklawn allowance winner Impel is the 6-5 program favourite for Saturday’s $225,000 Iowa Oaks. Additionally entered is Oaklawn maiden particular weight winner In Simply My Heels.
Impel (7-5 program favourite) can also be entered within the $200,000 G3-Indiana Oaks. The Indiana Oaks and $300,000 G3-Indiana Derby anchor a 12-race card Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The Indiana Oaks additionally lured Band of Gold, who gained Oaklawn’s $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb 3.
Oaklawn maiden particular weight graduate Little Jamie can also be entered within the Indiana Oaks. Knowledgeable Patriot, the 2024 Bathhouse Row winner, and Insurgent fourth Woodcourt are amongst eight Indiana Derby entrants.
Oaklawn stakes winner Masqueparade is entered within the $200,000 G2-Brooklyn Stakes Friday at Aqueduct.Oaklawn stakes winner Octane is the 9-5 program favourite for the $120,000 Smile Dash Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 6 furlongs Saturday at Gulfstream Park.Oaklawn stakes winner Battle Marketing campaign is amongst 11 horses entered within the $100,000 Michael G. Schaffer Memorial Stakes Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.Oaklawn-raced Mullikin is entered within the seven-furlong $200,000 G2-John A. Nerud Stakes Saturday at Aqueduct.Oaklawn-raced Olivia Twist and Daddysruby are entered within the $200,000 Nice Woman M Stakes Saturday at Los Alamitos.Oaklawn-raced Willy D’s is entered within the $150,000 Kent Stakes Saturday at Delaware Park.Oaklawn stakes winner Sir Wellington is entered within the Saturday’s $125,000 Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware.Oaklawn debut winner Moonlit Woman is the 5-2 program favourite for Ellis Park’s $125,000 Pea Patch Stakes Saturday.A number of Oaklawn stakes winner Moist Paint and Oaklawn-raced Honor D Woman and Saddle Up Jessie are entered within the $500,000 G2-Delaware Handicap Sunda. Oaklawn-raced Auto Glide is entered within the $175,000 Battery Park Sunday at Delaware.Oaklawn maiden particular weight graduate Beguine and Oaklawn-raced Pink Scorching Mess are entered within the $125,000 Dashing Magnificence Stakes Sunday at Delaware.Oaklawn stakes winner Octane is the 9-5 program favourite for the $120,000 Smile Dash Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 6 furlongs Saturday at Gulfstream Park.Oaklawn stakes winner Battle Marketing campaign is amongst 11 horses entered within the $100,000 Michael G. Schaffer Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 mile and 70 yards Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes has produced one other Derby winner
Wynstock edged stablemate Cornell by a nostril to win the nine-furlong $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby Saturday.
Educated by Corridor of Famer Bob Baffert, Wynstock opened 2024 with an Eleventh-place end within the $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes Feb. 3 at Oaklawn. The Southwest, Wynstock’s solely race thus far outdoors California, was Oaklawn’s second of 4 2024 Kentucky Derby qualifying races.
Southwest winner Mystik Dan returned to win the Kentucky Derby Could 4 at Churchill Downs for Kenny McPeek, Oaklawn’s second-leading coach this season.
Wynstock, a New York-bred son of the Baffert-trained Solomini, gained for the primary time since his closing 2023 begin, the $200,000 G2-Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 16. After the Southwest, Wynstock completed sixth within the $750,000 G1-Santa Anita Derby April 6 and sixth within the $100,000 Desert Code Stakes, his turf debut, Could 19 at Santa Anita.
Wynstock ($10.80) was ridden to his Los Alamitos Derby victory by Kyle Frey, with the profitable time over a quick observe 1:50.51. Wynstock raised his profession earnings to $243,740 following his third victory from eight lifetime begins.
Solomini ran second in Oaklawn’s $900,000 Insurgent Stakes and third within the $1 million G1-Arkansas Derby in 2018. The Insurgent and Arkansas Derby are historically Oaklawn’s third and fourth Kentucky Derby qualifying races, respectively.
Mystik Dan completed third within the Arkansas Derby earlier than profitable the Kentucky Derby in his subsequent begin.
Skippylongstocking, in his first begin since profitable the $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap, completed third to Kingsbarns and Pyrenes within the $1 million G1-Stephen Foster Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Churchill Downs. In different stakes races at Churchill Saturday, Oaklawn allowance winners Shotgun Hottie and Taxed completed second and third, respectively, within the $500,000 G2-Fleur de Lis Stakes, gained by Scylla; Oaklawn-raced Angkor completed second to Closethegame Sugar within the $250,000 Kelly’s Touchdown Stakes; and Sturdy Tide, Oaklawn’s twin observe report holder, completed third within the $500,000 G2-Smart Dan Stakes. Oaklawn-raced Otto the Conqueror completed second within the seven-furlong $175,000 Maxfield In a single day Stakes Sunday at Churchill Downs.Joseph Bealmear and Carlos Barbosa every rode 4 winners to share main apprentice honors through the Churchill Downs Spring Meet that concluded Sunday. Bealmear (19 victories) and Barbosa (17) ranked 1-2, respectively, amongst apprentice riders through the 2023-2024 Oaklawn assembly that ended Could 5.Kelsi Harr, one of many main feminine riders in Oaklawn historical past, rode two winners Saturday at Canterbury Park. Harr gained the sixth race aboard Nearly ($102) for coach Stetson Rushton and the seventh race aboard Outlaw Run ($72.40) for coach Robert N. Cline, the jockey’s longtime vital different. Harr has 53 profession Oaklawn victories.
