April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Wells Bayou Continues Comeback In Saturday’s Oaklawn Mile

As a star wide receiver during the mid-1980s at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Lance Gasaway is aware of injuries and the lengthy down time between seasons. Wells Bayou, co-owned by Gasaway and his father, Clint, is an equine reminder of that.

A year ago, Wells Bayou was coming off a victory in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds and headed for the Kentucky Derby. Then COVID-19 hit, the Kentucky Derby was moved to September, Wells Bayou finished a disappointing fifth in the second division of the rescheduled $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) in May at Oaklawn and bone bruising sidelined the Lookin At Lucky colt for the remainder of 2020.

Wells Bayou, who is trained by Brad Cox, is scheduled to make just his second start since the Arkansas Derby in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn.

“It's been a long, drawn-out year for Wells,” Lance Gasaway said Wednesday afternoon.

The speedy Wells Bayou, in his only start this year, ran third in the $125,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds. Wells Bayou was scratched from the $200,000 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds because of a minor illness, Gasaway said, then missed the $500,000 Essex Handicap March 13 at Oaklawn with a foot issue.

“Just been one thing after another with him,” Gasaway said. “It's horrible. We were worried about getting him back. Brad had told me: 'He said Lance, I don't know if we're going to make it back, like in December.' He just got so big. He grew so much and put so much weight on, I think it just took longer to get him in shape. Really felt good after that Louisiana Stakes. Actually, the week before the Mineshaft, he worked a :59.80 (5 furlongs) down there and Brad said, 'Hey, he's ready.' We really thought we had a shot to beat Maxfield. Really did. He was training that well, then had to lay him off a month with all that other crap.”

Wells Bayou returned to Oaklawn last Sunday, according to Jorgito Abrego, who oversees Cox's local division. Wells Bayou made three starts last year in Hot Springs, recording a powerful first-level allowance victory in his two-turn debut before finishing second in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) and fifth behind Nadal in the second division of the Arkansas Derby.

“To be honest with you, this race, Brad thinks this is just going to be another conditioning race,” Gasaway said. “In fact, we're still a race away from getting him back like he was. But it's a shorter race, so we decided to give it a go. Hopefully, we'll run good.”

The Gasaways, who grew up and still reside in southeast Arkansas, purchased Wells Bayou on the advice of bloodstock agent Liz Crow (BSW/Crow Bloodstock) for $105,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-year-old in training sale. Crow brokered a deal before the Louisiana Derby to bring in BSW/Crow clients Sol Kumin (Madaket Stables) and Marc Lore (Wonder Stables) as partners in the bay son of champion Lookin At Lucky.

Clint Gasaway named Wells Bayou after a small community about 70 miles southeast of Little Rock.

Overall, Wells Bayou has a 3-1-1 record from seven lifetime starts and earnings of $872,793. Wells Bayou (4-1 on the morning line) is among nine horses entered in the Oaklawn Mile. Probable post time for the Oaklawn Mile, the ninth of 13 races, is 4:49 p.m. (Central).

The post Wells Bayou Continues Comeback In Saturday’s Oaklawn Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Weekend Lineup: Final Preps Offer Last Chances To Earn Derby Points

Final chances for horses to earn qualifying points into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve will be on the line on Saturday (April 10) headlined by Oaklawn Park's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Keeneland's Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes.

Grade 2 Rebel Stakes winner Concert Tour, the No. 2-ranked horse on the latest top NTRA 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll, is the morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby. The race awards Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 basis. At Keeneland, Proxy is favored in the 1 1/16-mile Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. The Lexington awards Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers on a 20-8-4-2 basis. The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters.

The Arkansas Derby will be televised by NBC Sports as part of their “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series during a one-hour program airing on NBCSN and beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The telecast will also include highlights of the much anticipated rematch of the nation's top sprinters – CZ Rocket and Whitmore – in Oaklawn's Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

TVG will be broadcasting every race, every day with expanded coverage of Keeneland's Spring Meet, which runs through April 23. In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, TVG will feature racing from Oaklawn Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will also be live on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. ET on FS1 and from 3-8 p.m. ET on FS2; and on Sunday from 1-4 p.m. ET on FS2 and from 4-6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Friday, April 9

5:30 p.m. ― $300,000 Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Peter Brant's 6-year-old Raging Bull (FR), who finished third by a neck in last year's Maker's Mark Mile, makes his 2021 debut in this year's renewal on the Keenland turf, leading the nine-horse field as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. Trained by Chad Brown, Raging Bull, ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., is a two-time Grade 1 winner. Another Brown starter, the 6-year-old Sacred Life (FR), fourth in last September's Grade 1 Old Forrester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, also will be making his 2021 debut. A formidable invader from California is the Dan Blacker-trained 4-year-old Hit the Road, who's on a four-race win streak capped by a strong-closing neck victory in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 6 at Santa Anita. Maker's Mark is celebrating its 25th year as title sponsor of the race.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE040921USA-EQB.html#RACE9

Saturday, April 10

4:24 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Steve Landers Racing's 5-year-old Night Ops is slated to face four rivals in the 90th running of the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Javier Castellano, Night Ops will seek to improve off his third-place finish in a tough Essex Handicap on March 13 at Oaklawn. Tom Durant's 7-year-old gelding Silver Dust was third in last September's Grade 3 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA-EQB.html#RACE7

5:30 p.m.― $200,000 Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Twenty Kentucky Derby qualifying points go to the winner of the Grade 3, $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes, and a win by Godolphin's Proxy or Reddam Racing's Hockey Dad would put that horse into the starting gate at Churchill Downs. Godolphin's Proxy, trained by Mike Stidham, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the 10-horse field. The bay son of Tapit comes to Keeneland off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. California-bred Hockey Dad is a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, and races for his sire's same connections of Paul Reddam, trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. Hockey Dad won three races at Santa Anita before finishing third in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 27. Another intriguing starter is the Bob Baffert-trained Bezos. Highly touted and heavily wagered in the Derby futures, Bezos faltered at 3-5 in his debut at Santa Anita on Feb. 7, finishing seventh of nine. However, the son of Empire Maker rebounded in a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita on March 26 with a sparkling 4 ½-length win.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA9-EQB.html

5:49 p.m.― $400,000 Oaklawn Mile at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Nine are slated to go in the Oaklawn Mile led by Allied Racing Stable's and Spendthrift Farm's By My Standards, a winner of three Grade 2 stakes races in 2020, and with career earnings of more than $1.8 million. Trained by Bret Calhoun and ridden by Gabriel Saez, the 5-year-old By My Standards won last year's Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. Florida-bred Rushie, winner of last September's Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs for trainer Michael McCarthy, and the Brad Cox-trained 4-year-old Wells Bayou, figure to be in the wagering picture. Wells Bayou, who won last year's Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, finished third in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at the Fair Grounds in his first start of 2021.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE9

6:03 p.m. ― $300,000 Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Trainer Chad Brown is shooting for his fourth consecutive Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The four-time Eclipse Award winner sends out Peter Brant, Mrs. M.V. Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan's Etoile (FR), and Swift Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Wonder Stables' Tamahere (FR). Etoile will be making her first start since winning the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine in October. Tamahere, winner of the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont Park in her U.S. debut in October, will be making her first start since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar. Etoile and Tamahere will take on the challenge of race favorite Micheline, owned by Godolphin and trained by Mike Stidham, who opened the season with a win in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs, and finished second in last October's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA-EQB.html#RACE10

7:05 p.m. ―$500,000 Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Saturday's six-furlong Count Fleet Sprint pits the nation's top sprinters – Whitmore and C Z Rocket – in their third consecutive confrontation. Robert LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners' 8-year-old gelding Whitmore defeated C Z Rocket, owned by Madaket Stables, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele, and trained by Peter Miller, in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland last November. Whitmore, who is co-owned and trained by Ron Moquett, was subsequently voted the Eclipse Award male sprinter trophy. The 7-year-old gelding C Z Rocket turned the tables on Whitmore in the six-furlong Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn on March 13, coming from last to overtake his rival by a neck. Seven will go to the post in the Count Fleet. The 9-5 Whitmore will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., and Florent Geroux will ride the 2-1 C Z Rocket.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE11

7:41 p.m. ―$1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on NBCSN and TVG

Gary and Mary West's undefeated Concert Tour is the even-money favorite in the six-horse, Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, the final Kentucky Derby qualifying points race. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Joel Rosario, Concert Tour went wire to wire in Oaklawn's 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 13 with an impressive 4¼-length victory. Baffert, who won a division of last year's race with Nadal, and also saddled American Phoroah in 2015 and Bodemeister in 2012 to Arkansas Derby triumphs, also trains the 3-1 second choice, Hozier, who was the Rebel Stakes runner-up. Smarty Jones Stakes winner Caddo River, owned by John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable and trained by Brad Cox, finished fifth as the 6-5 favorite in the Rebel after battling Concert Tour for the lead at the top of the stretch. Gary Barber's Get Her Number, winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita last fall, will try to improve upon his seventh-place finish in the Rebel, which was his seasonal debut for trainer Peter Miller.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE12

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Spice is Nice Returns a Winner at Keeneland

6th-Keeneland, $82,488, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 4-9, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.01, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.

SPICE IS NICE (f, 4, Curlin–Dame Dorothy {GISW, $749,740}, by Bernardini) made her return to the races a winning one with an optional claimer score at Keeneland Friday. Hammered down to 1-2 favoritism for this return after eight months on the bench, the $1.05-million KEESEP buy raced two-wide in a joint third through opening splits of :24.15 and :48.63. Scrubbed on by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the chestnut swept up to confront the leader Market Rumor (Afleet Alex) approaching the turn. The duo pulled well clear of their three remaining rivals as the battled down the lane with Spice is Nice bounding clear late to score by 2 1/4 lengths. It was another 11 lengths back to the third-place finisher. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after romping by 12 lengths in her Gulfstream debut in January of 2020, Spice is Nice finished second in that venue's GII Davona Dale S. six weeks later and rallied to be fifth next out in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks last March. Winning a Belmont optional claimer when next seen July 3, she was sixth last time out in the 10-furlong GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 15. Spice is Nice is the first foal out of Grade I winner Dame Dorothy, who is a half-sister to MGISW Mrs. Lindsay (Theatrical {Ire}). Her second foal, a now-2-year-old colt by Medaglia d'Oro, brought $650,000 from Juddmonte, Bridlewood and Winchell Thoroughbreds at Keeneland September. She produced an Uncle Mo colt in May of 2020 and was barren when bred back to Curlin. Sales history: $1,050,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-3-1-0, $164,528. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-Lawana L. and Robert E. Low; B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

The post Spice is Nice Returns a Winner at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Arkansas: Baffert’s Lidocaine Hearings Scheduled For April 19, 20

According to the Daily Racing Form, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been scheduled for hearings on April 19 and 20 with the Arkansas Racing Commission over a pair of lidocaine positives at Oaklawn Park in 2020.

The two horses testing positive for the Class B substance were Charlatan, winner of the G1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, and Gamine, winner of an allowance race on the same card.

After news of the positives was leaked last year, Baffert's attorney Craig Robertson said both Gamine and Charlatan were exposed to the lidocaine from a patch worn by a member of the trainer's staff suffering back pain while tending to the horses at Oaklawn.

Jimmy Barnes, assistant trainer for Baffert, saddled the horses at Oaklawn in the trainer's absence. He suffered a fractured pelvis in September 2017.

Both Gamine and Charlatan were disqualified from their victories, and Baffert was suspended for 15 days.