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Derby And Oaks Points Ripe On Graded Sunny Saturday At Oaklawn

The massive deep freeze which crippled the second half of Oaklawn Park's January cards seems like a distant memory, as weekend weather in Hot Springs looks to punch through the upper 60s and into the lower 70s. The sunshine will be a welcome sight with points intended for passage to the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks ripe for the picking.

Timberlake Favorite Choice in Rebel

The Arkansas series for the colts features another running of the GII Rebel S., which brings together a field of 13.

The class headliner looking to take home 50 Derby credits to the winner is 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief). Bred by St. Elias and owned by WinStar, the Brad Cox trainee is coming off the shelf for his 3-year-old debut.

Last summer, the bay powered across the Ellis Park wire by 9 1/4 lengths which earned him a 'Rising Star' blue ribbon at second asking. As the runner-up in the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga, he returned to New York a month later to capture the GI Champagne S. during the Belmont at the Big A meet. His juvenile campaign came to a close when he finished fourth to 'Rising Stars' Fierceness (City of Light), Muth (Good Magic) and Locked (Gun Runner) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.

“We gave him a little bit of a break after the Breeders' Cup,” said Cox. “He had a long campaign, and we were very happy with what he was able to accomplish at the age of 2. Just excited about what lies ahead for him. He's really turned it on over the last two weeks with his works. We feel like we've got him about as good as we're going to get him.”

Timberlake is the only entry without an attempt over the local strip in Hot Springs. Out of the other 12, Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who welcomed as an investor current Oaklawn leading owner Staton Flurry, will look for 'TDN' Rising Star' Carbone (Mitole) to improve. The favorite in the GIII Southwest S. turned in a seventh-place finish.

Others in for a bushel full of points include a pair from Ken McPeek's shedrow. Northern Flame (Flameaway) missed hitting the board last fall in the GI Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and in the GIII Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs. However, his gate to wire win against optional claimers at Oaklawn Jan. 28 proves he can be dangerous up front. His stablemate Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}) displays the complete opposite running style, as he likes to be heard from late in the game.

“(Northern Flame) has improved from 2 to 3,” said trainer Ken McPeek, who just celebrated his 2,000th victory this week. “He fought on well in that allowance race. He's a good, solid colt. … (Common Defense) didn't like the mud last time. I'm hoping for a dry track this weekend. I started to take him to the (Mar. 2) Battaglia Memorial at Turfway because I think ultimately his future may be on turf. He worked so good this week that I went ahead and put him back in at Oaklawn.”

Making his third start over the Oaklawn dirt is the experienced picker Just Steel (Justify) for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who was the runner-up in the GIII Southwest S. He will break to the inside of an upstart named Time for Truth (Omaha Beach) on the stretch out for conditioner Ron Moquett and principal owner Harry T. Rosenbaum.

Honeybee Could Be Sweet For West Omaha

West Omaha | Hodges Photography/Lou Hodges, Jr.

Just as with the boys, the fillies are also looking to harvest a top prize of 50 points. Their haul in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. will be applied towards a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Oaks.

Leading the charge is another from Cox's stable, who like Timberlake, has been working out at his Fair Grounds base. Gary and Mary West's homebred West Omaha (West Coast) was scratched out of the GII Rachel Alexandra S. after she won the Silverbulletday S. by five lengths in New Orleans Jan. 20.

The filly will tangle the Martha Washington S. winner Band of Gold (Preservationist). The McPeek trainee turned on the jets down the lane in that Feb. 3 stakes race and won by 2 3/4 lengths in what was an impressive display of speed.

Finally, Greg Tramontin, who left racing for 23 years before returning once again as an owner in 2018, enters Alys Beach (Omaha Beach). The chestnut debuted a winner last summer at Saratoga under Tom Amoss, but she was a well-beaten fourth in the GI Spinaway S. upstate before the meet closed and when she faded to third in the GI Alcibiades S. at Keeneland in early October.

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Derby March for Greatest Honour

Greatest Honour (Tapit) rides a three-race win streak heading into the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, however, the Courtlandt Farm homebred certainly hasn't scared anyone away as 10 other sophomores have also signed on in Saturday's Classic prep. A large part of the draw is that the Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis. The 1 1/8-mile test has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events.

The imposing bay kicked off his career with a trio of on-the-board finishes in New York, including a close-up head second behind Florida Derby rival Known Agenda (Curlin)–a last out 11-length winner in a Gulfstream optional claimer Feb. 26–at Aqueduct in November before capping the season with a win going 8 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Dec. 26. Sent off the second betting choice in the Jan. 30 GIII Holy Bull S., he employed his customary off-the-pace tactics to score by an eye-catching 5 3/4 lengths.

Sent off at even choice in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., the Shug McGaughey trainee found himself a bit farther back than expected early, but employed his typical late-charging style to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the speedy Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music).

“In the Fountain of Youth, the horse on the lead, Drain The Clock, who I think is a very, very good horse, kind of opened up, leaving the quarter pole. I thought [even if our horse] would kick in, we're going to have a hard time catching him but he caught him.”

He continued, “I think he was doing–three times–[something] he wasn't wanting to do, going a mile and a sixteenth over a speed-favoring track. And he was able to catch up all three times against pretty good company. So, I am looking forward to getting him stretched out where maybe in the Florida Derby he'll be laying like he was in the Holy Bull and not as far back as he was in the Fountain of Youth.”

In his most recent work, Greatest Honour covered four furlongs, while in company, in :50.40 (12/27) at Payson Park Mar. 21 (McGaughey's view on the work).

McGaughey, who annexed his first Run for the Roses with Orb in 2013, believes the added distance will benefit his charge.

“He's a big, tall horse. He has grown a little over the winter,” McGaughey said. “So, that will be fun watching him develop. His pedigree says he'll run as far as you want him to run. With his stride, I don't think he's a horse with a quick turn of foot, but when he gets going, he covers so much ground that he catches up in a hurry.”

Drawn in post 7 Saturday, the colt will be partnered by Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for four of the colt's prior starts, including his two most recent wins.

Looking to derail Greatest Honour's Derby dreams is SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's Spielberg (Union Rags), who will exit post 10 Saturday. Winner of last December's GII Los Alamitos Futurity, the chestnut also finished hit the board in the GI Del Mar Futurity and GI American Pharoah S. In his 2021 debut, Spielberg stumbled at the start of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit (Protonico). Last time out, Spielberg had a messy start but was good enough to finish second–beaten 4 1/4 lengths–by 2-year-old champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Feb. 27.

“He's had a lot of races [eight prior starts]. Of all my horses, he's had the most starts. And he's second to [MGSW] Concert Tour [Street Sense] in money earned…He shows up.” said Baffert. “Once in a while, he'll run a flat race. He's doing well and I think he will like the mile and an eighth. He sort of comes running, but he's got to ship well and behave himself. And he's got to break well. He can't break like he did the last time.”

In his last work, the $1 million Keeneland September graduate blistered through five furlongs in :59.40 at Santa Anita Mar. 21.

In contrast to vast experience of Spielberg, Three Chimneys and eFive Racing's Collaborate (Into Mischief) enters the fray with only two prior starts under his belt. Fifth going six furlongs in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6, the $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase rebounded to air by 12 1/2 lengths stretching to a mile Feb. 27, earning TDN Rising Star billing in the process. (Joseph talks about Collaborate).

“It would mean a lot to win,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “This horse has a lot of ability. What we're asking him is a tall task, but it seems like he has the ability to overcome it.

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‘Storm’ Rolling in For Jeff Ruby

A field of 11, headed by Joseph Morey Jr.'s Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), aim to take advantage of the Kentucky Derby points on the line in Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Drawing the 2 hole, the William Morey trainee kicked off his career finishing eighth against $150,000 maidens on the dirt at Churchill last November, but rebounded in fine style to win with ease while trying the Tapeta for the first time going a mile a Turfway in December. A narrow winner facing optional claiming company Jan. 6, the New York bred recorded his biggest success to date when winning the 8 1/2-furlong John Battaglia Memorial S. Feb. 26. Aboard for all three wins, Santiago Gonzalez gets the call.

Hoping to turn the tables on Hush of a Storm is Battaglia third Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), the sole Grade I winner in the field. Campaigned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbreds, the Ontario bred was runner up in his career bow over the Woodbine turf last July before graduating in an off-turf test over that track's synthetic surface the following month before eking out a win in the grassy 6 1/2-furlong Soaring Free S. Aug. 23. Favored for the Sept. 20 GI Summer S., the bay came home an easy 3 1/4-length winner, but failed to carry that form in his seasonal finale, tiring to sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland Nov. 6.

“After the Breeders' Cup, Gretzky had some minor ankle surgery and so, we missed some time with him,” said Mark Casse. “I knew if I was going to make a dirt start that I was going to have to race him two or three more times. So, the reason I went to the Battaglia was just simply because it's not as tiring.”

As for his Battaglia performance, Casse added, “He definitely was a little short, unfortunately. We drew the one [hole] and I told the rider, look, I want you to put him into the race. I don't like coming from the one and letting horses run by you and then they go in front of you and next thing you know, you're last. So, we asked him to run away from there. And unfortunately, he caught some pressure from a long shot that kind of ran ahead and was with him for three-quarters-of-a-mile. He put that horse away and then two more came at him, two more that had to be a lot fitter than we were, so I was proud of our horse.”

“I thought he tried and ran hard, staying back,” he concluded. “But more importantly, he's trained very well since then. And I'm excited. I'm very happy we picked up Chris Landeros to ride him. In my opinion, nobody rides Turfway Park like Chris Landeros. So, I think that's a big plus for us.”

While a top rung performance could pave the way to the Kentucky Derby starting gate, Casse indicated Canada's first jewel of the Triple Crown is far more likely for the colt.

“Is the derby a possibility? I wouldn't rule it out,” said Casse. “He would have to give us a tremendous performance though in the Jeff Ruby and then we'd have to come up with a plan on the Derby. But Queen's Plate is definitely in our crosshairs. And with him being a Canadian bred, it's a million dollars and it's such a prestigious race. We've been fortunate enough to win it a couple of times. We'd like to win it again.”

Also exiting the Battaglia, M Racing Group's Like the King (Palace Malice) makes the jump into graded company following a runner-up in the Battaglia. A runaway winner going a mile on the turf at Belterra last September, the Wesley Ward trainee finished third in an off-turf test at Keeneland a month later but found himself back in the winner's circle going a mile at Turfway Dec. 4. Drawing the inside stall this time, the colt will be ridden for the first time by Drayden Van Dyke.

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Joseph Derby Dreamin’

A Triple Crown winner in his native Barbados, Saffie Joseph Jr. took his first shot at America's Classics in 2020 with GISP Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who failed to hit the board in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. last fall before heading to the sidelines for the remainder of the season. Fast forward to 2021, Joseph returns to the Triple Crown trail with another exciting prospect in Three Chimneys Farm and eFive Racing's Collaborate (Into Mischief), who is slated to contest Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The colt debuted with a fifth as the favorite going six panels in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6 before rebounding to a TDN Rising Star garnering performance when winning by an eye-catching 12 1/2-length margin stretching to a mile at the Hallandale oval Feb. 27.

“Every time we worked him before he ran, he impressed really me,” he said. “He did everything so effortlessly and nothing seemed to phase him. So, when he got beat first time out it was a big disappointment because he had touted himself so much leading up to that. I just didn't think he'd get beat. But that day, he got valuable experience. It was a relief second time out because we always knew he had that kind of talent.”

Joseph's first Grade I victory was recorded by Math Wizard (Algorithms), a one-time $25,000 claimer who went on to annex the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby. And it was the development of lesser pedigreed horses into top-rung winners that earned Joseph Jr. the street-cred needed to usher in flashier stock. Case in point, purchased for the healthy sum of $600,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale, Collaborate represents the highest priced sales purchase for the young trainer.

“He's definitely the most talented horse I've ever had,” affirmed Joseph Jr. “He has a lot of ability. We're a little behind schedule, so we're asking him to do things that might be a tall task. But he seems like he as the ability to overcome it. Getting beat the first time, in hind sight, was a blessing because he got a lot of education from that. He got more tired first time out than in his second start. We just hope we can build on that and show up again and run a similar race [in the Florida derby]. If he does, we think we have a horse that is very capable.”

Regarding tactics for the nine-furlong contest, he added, “He's very versatile. I think that's one of his advantages. He has that high-cruising speed and he stays pretty strong late. I think he will be on or near the lead, where he is comfortable. Ideally, he will be in a forward position and can run his race.”

Tyler Gaffalione reunites with the colt Saturday.

Joseph will also be represented by additional Triple Crown hopefuls–Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map) and Awesome Gerry (Liam's Map)–at Turfway Park Saturday in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, which offers 100 Derby points to the winner. The former won second out going seven-eighths at GP West before adding another tally while adding a furlong in a Dec. 10 optional claimer. Fourth in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S. Jan. 22, he was an improved third last time in the Mar. 6 GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.

“In the Tampa Derby, he kind of jumped up and ran above his odds and actually surprised us,” admitted Joseph Jr. “He was third and picked up 10 points and he had one more from his previous race at Oaklawn. [Sonata Stables] wants to give him a chance to continue on and see if he can pick up some more points.”

John Fanelli, Cash Is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Timot Pinch's Awesome Gerry won two of four starts in Southern Florida at two in addition to finishing runner up in the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta last November. Third in Gulfstream's Mucho Macho Man S. in January, the grey finished seventh and sixth, respectively, in the Jan. 30 GIII Holy Bull S. and most recently in the Tampa Bay Derby.

“We feel like if Moonlite Strike finishes one-two-three he can earn a spot and it would be nice for the owner to have a Derby runner,” he said. “We thought the Jeff Ruby was the best opportunity to pick up some points. He has a turf pedigree, so we figured he might light the Tapeta and that might help move him up a little bit. And we hope the Tapeta could also help Awesome Gerry move up, too.”

While having already earned Derby points when winning the Jan. 30 GIII Swale S., Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock is unlikely to pursue a berth the First Saturday in May. He most recently finished runner up behind Florida Derby early favorite Greatest Honour (Tapit) in the Feb. 27 GII Fasig-Tipton GII Fountain of Youth S.

“Drain the Clock picked up 20 points in the Fountain of Youth S. and it was probably easy to pick up a few more points to get him to the Derby, but that ownership group they don't want to go to the Derby if they can't win it,” he confirmed.

Instead, the chestnut will be redirected to shorter distances, beginning with the Apr. 3 GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount.

Although Joseph had spent many of his early years as a trainer dreaming about having a horse good enough to make it into the starting gate on Derby day, his initial attempt during a COVID- plagued season proved anything but usual. So, heading toward this year's race, what was his chief takeaway after tackling the 2020 renewal?

“Last year was the first time, so you obviously learn something,” he said. “Even without a crowd, in the walk over our horse got a bit keyed up. If we get back there this year, we'd probably use earplugs on the horse. But as far as training, you just hope the horses stays healthy enough to get into the race.”

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