Eight 3-year-olds, including trainer Brad Cox's stakes-winning pair of Jace's Road and Corona Bolt, are expected for the $750,000 Southwest (G3), Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby (G1) points races, set for Jan. 28 at the Hot Springs, Ark. track.
Entries will be drawn Monday for the Southwest, which offers 40 points (20-8-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.
In addition to Jace's Road and Corona Bolt, who are among a maybe dozen Derby prospects for Cox, the Oaklawn racing department Saturday morning listed six other expected entrants Southwest: Protege for trainer Ron Moquett, Bourbon Bash for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, El Tomate (Miguel Angel Silva), Frosted Departure (Kenny McPeek), Hit Show (Cox), and Sun Thunder (McPeek).
Unbeaten Corona Bolt will be making his two-turn debut in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest. After breaking his maiden Nov. 19 at Churchill Downs, Stonestreet Stables' Bolt d'Oro colt scored a front-running 6 ¾-length victory in the Sugar Bowl Stakes at six furlongs Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds in his most recent start.
Jace's Road was a front-running 5 ½-length winner of the Gun Runner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles the same day at Fair Grounds in his most recent outing. The Quality Road colt, campaigned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables LLC, currently sits in fourth place on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 13 points.
Lightly raced Protege will make his stakes and 2023 debut in the race, said Moquett, of Hot Springs, Ark.
Protege has a 1-0-1 record from three lifetime starts for Moquett and owners Harry Rosenblum of Little Rock, Ark., Robert LaPenta, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aaron Wellman).
From the first crop of former 2-year-old champion Good Magic, who was runner-up in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, Protege concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in an entry-level allowance at one mile Dec. 17 at Oaklawn. Protege was beaten 4 1/2 lengths by probable Southwest entrant Hit Show after breaking in at the start.
“It was his first time going around two turns,” said Moquett, who teamed with Rosenblum and LaPenta to win the 2015 Southwest with Far Right. “He had a little bit of a traffic situation. I thought he showed plenty of ability and looking forward to see how he's progressing.”
Frosted Departure, a Frosted colt owned by C&H Diamond Racing LLC and Sherri McPeek's Magdalena Racing, won the inaugural Renaissance Stakes at six furlongs Dec. 31 at Oaklawn to conclude a nine-race 2-year-old campaign.
R.T Racing Stable's Sun Thunder, by leading sire Into Mischief, scored a debut win by 6 ½ lengths Dec. 31 at Oaklawn.
Frosted Departure and Sun Thunder were among four winners for trainer Ken McPeek on the Dec. 31 card, Oaklawn's first exclusively for 2-year-olds.
Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1-million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25 and the $1.25-million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 1.
Post positions also will be drawn Monday for the $200,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 King Cotton for older horses at six furlongs.
McPeek will send out one of the favorites in the Martha Washington in Defining Purpose, who was a sparkling 5 ¼ length winner of the inaugural Year's End Stakes at 1 mile Dec. 31 at Oaklawn.
Other expected Martha Washington starters include Homecoming Queen for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, Olivia Twist (Todd Fincher) and Take Charge Briana (Lukas).
Olivia Twist (3 for 3) won the Trapeze Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile Dec. 17 at Remington Park in her last start.
Take Charge Briana finished third in the Year's End.
The Martha Washington is Oaklawn's first of three Kentucky Oaks (G1) points races. Secret Oath won the Martha Washington and Kentucky Oaks last year for Lukas.
The Martha Washington is a major local prep for the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles April 1.
Early King Cotton probables include Flash of Mischief for trainer Karl Broberg and Tejano Twist for 2015 Oaklawn training champion Chris Hartman.
Flash of Mischief won the inaugural $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes at 6 furlongs Dec. 10 at Oaklawn in his last start. Late-running Tejano Twist has won his last three starts, including a Jan. 6 allowance sprint at Oaklawn.
The King Cotton is a major local prep for the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at 6 furlongs April 15.
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