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Un Ojo Rallies Late To Cause Rebel Boilover

A one-eyed horse, as his name would imply, Un Ojo (Laoban) took the shortest way around over an increasingly rain-affected Oaklawn main track, and found his best stride in the final 50 yards, outfinishing an unlucky Ethereal Road (Quality Road) to cause a 75-1 upset of Saturday's GII Rebel S. in [not-so] Hot Springs.

Ridden for pace from his inside draw, Kavod (Lea) dueled inside of heavily favored GIII Southwest S. hero Newgrange (Violence) passing under the wire for the first time and made the running just off the inside through an opening couple of furlongs in :23.42. Un Ojo scraped paint from midpack early on, then was slipped a bit of rein by Ramon Vazquez to ease into third as the Rebel field reached the half-mile marker.

About the same time that John Velazquez began to get serious aboard the previously unbeaten Newgrange, Vazquez was after Un Ojo to take a shot up the fence approaching the entrance to the stretch. Unable to take full advantage at that juncture, Un Ojo was shuffled back to about fourth position as Ethereal Road, trapped out for the entire trip, rolled up outside of Newgrange to make a line of three about three-sixteenths from home. Despite doing it toughest over what appeared a very sticky surface, Ethereal Road hit the front at the furlong grounds and looked as if he was home free, but Un Ojo found his second wind closest to the rail with a sixteenth of a mile to race and was home narrowly best. Barber Road (Race Day) raced in the slipstream of the eventual winner for much of the race, lost a bit of momentum when swerving toward the fence nearing the final eighth of a mile and attacked the line to just miss second. Newgrange could do no better than sixth.

Un Ojo graduated at second asking for this trainer at Delta Downs Nov. 5 and was fourth on 15 days' rest in the Jean Lafitte Futurity before joining the barn of Tony Dutrow to take advantage of the state-bred program in New York. A narrowly beaten and troubled second in the New York Stallion Series S. at Aqueduct Dec. 18, the March foal was exiting a strong finishing runner-up effort behind Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the modestly rated and widely criticized renewal of the GIII Withers S. at the Big A Feb. 5.

“I've loved this horse since Day 1. I knew he had the talent to be this kind of horse. I always had the confidence in him. He just improved so much every single day, every single race. This is a dream come true. Two strong efforts in his last two races. Closed really well in the last two races with (trainer) Mr. Anthony Dutrow, who has done a great job with the horse. He sent him down here for us to run and he came here. We were hoping he would close good. He kind of laid a little closer than we thought. He grinded away today.”

Pedigree Notes:

Un Ojo is the first graded winner and fourth stakes winner overall from the second crop to the races for the late Laoban, who passed away at the age of eight last May. He is the sire's 10th black-type winner and third winner at the graded level overall.

Southern Equine Stable, who raced Laoban to a 27-1 upset in the 2016 GII Jim Dandy S., acquired the colt's multiple stakes-placed dam for $40,000 with this foal in utero at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed Sale at Saratoga. Risk a Chance is a daughter of GSW Seeking the Ante, whose four-time stakes-winning daughter Mineralogist (Mineshaft) produced SW Can You Diggit (Tiznow). Un Ojo's third dam was dual-surface Grade I winner Antespend, acquired by Chester and Mary Bromans' Chestertown Farm for $900,000 as a horse of racing age at the 1997 Keeneland April Sale who became the dam of the Bromans' GI Florida Derby hero Friends Lake (A.P. Indy). Risk a Chance's last listed produce is a 2-year-old colt of this year by Ghostzapper, sire of Southern Equine's 2014 GI Whitney S. winner Moreno.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
REBEL S.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 2-26, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.69, ft.
1–UN OJO, 117, g, 3, by Laoban
                1st Dam: Risk a Chance (MSP, $139,825), by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Seeking the Ante, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Antespend, by Spend a Buck
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Cypress
Creek Equine LLC; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (NY); T-Ricky
Courville; J-Ramon A. Vazquez. $600,000. Lifetime Record:
6-2-2-0, $776,321. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ethereal Road, 117, c, 3, Quality Road–Sustained, by War
Front. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($90,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Aaron Sones; B-Paul Pompa (KY); T-D.
Wayne Lukas. $200,000.
3–Barber Road, 117, c, 3, Race Day–Encounter, by Southern
Image. ($15,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-WSS Racing, LLC; B-Susan
Forrester & Judy Curry (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. $100,000.
Margins: HF, NO, 1 1/4. Odds: 75.40, 15.80, 6.50.
Also Ran: Kavod, Chasing Time, Newgrange, Dash Attack, Ben Diesel, Stellar Tap, Cairama, Texas Red Hot.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Un Ojo Eyeing Feb. 5 Withers; Gotham Next For Fromanothamutha

Cypress Creek Equine's Un Ojo is on track to make his graded stakes debut in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Feb. 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The nine-furlong Withers offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the road to the Kentucky Derby to the top-four finishers, respectively.

Trained by Tony Dutrow, the son of Laoban had his first work since his game effort in the Great White Way, breezing four furlongs in 49.13 seconds over Belmont Park's dirt training track on Friday in company with fellow Dutrow trainee Fair Haired Boy, a 5-year-old maiden winner.

“We had plenty of time between races, so we gave him a little bit of a break there immediately after the stakes and we're extremely happy with him,” Dutrow said. “If things keep going the way they are today, he'll be in the Withers.”

Un Ojo's second in the Great White Way was the first stakes placing of his career, fighting on valiantly with eventual winner Geno down the stretch to be defeated just a neck despite losing momentum when he was bumped by Geno at the sixteenth pole.

Dutrow said he is not concerned with Un Ojo's step up to the graded ranks for the first time.

“I think he'll manage it just fine. We're feeling very good about the distance and how the race is coming up,” said Dutrow. “His breeding says that the distance shouldn't be a problem. We are looking forward to it for sure.”

Other horses under consideration for the Withers include the top-three finishers of the Jerome – Courvoisier, Smarten Up and Cooke Creek – as well as maiden winner Constitutionlawyer.

Fromanothamutha G3 Gotham bound following maiden score
Trainer Ray Handal said recent maiden winner Fromanothamutha will target the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 5, a one-turn mile offering 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Fromanothamutha, a 3-year-old son of Unified, broke his maiden gate-to-wire Thursday by 4 1/4 lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight under regular pilot Manny Franco, registering a career-best 87 Beyer.

Fromanothamutha entered Thursday's win from a distant seventh in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen, but kept salty company throughout the maiden ranks, finishing behind subsequent stakes-winner Chattalot in his July debut at Saratoga. He would go on to finish second in his fourth start to Mo Donegal – the eventual Remsen winner.

“He's just been knocking at the door,” Handal said. “He bounced out of the Remsen in good order. We were looking at this race and if he were to win, then the Gotham from there. He should handle the mile just fine and he's shown that he's pretty legit.”

Handal said Franco, who piloted Fromanothamutha for the first time in the Remsen, benefited from the race experience aboard the dark bay.

“Manny said he thought he might have put him to sleep a little bit in the Remsen. He was getting a little bit lackadaisical,” Handal said. “This time, he kept him going at task in a spot where he was happy.”

Owned by Handal in partnership with Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor and Peter M. Rinato, Fromanothamutha is out of the Aptitude mare Prevention. He was bought for $120,000 out of the 2021 OBS March Sale.

Handal has won 5-of-16 starts in 2022 heading into Sunday's card, all of which were at Aqueduct. In addition to Fromanothamutha, he scored with Constitutionlawyer, who is bound for the Grade 3 Withers. Other victories for Handal this year include Just Read It and maiden winners Ribot's Valentine and The Honorable Ruth.

“We just have to keep it rolling along,” Handal said. “We're just happy to have nice horses and patient owners. It's great for the whole team.”

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Barese Returns From Layoff To Win Aqueduct’s Rego Park

Paradise Farm and David Staudacher's Barese came home the best of nine state-bred sophomores to win his first stakes in Sunday's 6 1/2-furlong $100,000 Rego Park at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trained by Mike Maker, the son of Laoban was making his first start since a debut maiden special weight win at Belmont Park on May 21, taking a five-furlong sprint for state-breds by a half-length under Irad Ortiz, Jr. from just off the pace.

Eight months later, Barese, piloted by Dylan Davis, was kept a bit farther off the pace than in his debut, breaking last in the field of nine and unhurried by Davis to track in sixth behind pacesetter Unique Unions through an opening quarter-mile in 22.64 seconds over the good and harrowed main track.

Barese continued to hold in fourth going four-wide down the backstretch as Unique Unions held his lead a length the better of Daufuskie Island and 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Agility with Kendrick Carmouche up.

Barese began to kick into gear entering the turn with slight urging from Davis, who was still content to bide his time with plenty of horse underneath him. Swinging wide to the center of the racetrack, Davis showed Barese a right-handed crop and gave him one tap as the field straightened for the drive to the wire, grinding away to the outside of Agility as Unique Unions began to toil along the rail.

Matching strides with Agility and Daufuskie Island just before the sixteenth pole, Barese pulled away under left-handed encouragement from Davis and secured the second win of his career by 2 3/4 lengths, stopping the clock in 1:19.13. Agility held on to finish second by a neck over Daufuskie Island.

Davis, who rode Barese for the first time in the Rego Park, said the bay colt was full of run.

“He's a big boy and coming off the layoff, I was just trying to get a nice, comfortable break and that's what he got,” Davis said. “They ran away from him which I thought would happen, but he was handling the kickback well.

“Nearing the five-eighths pole, he started getting a little aggressive with me and I thought it was better to not keep him behind those horses,” Davis added. “I gave him a nice, clear spot in the four-path and just let him do his thing into the turn. Turning for home, he had plenty left and his big stride was able to keep going and going. He might want to handle more distance, but he handled this great.”

Davis, who currently sits in second behind Carmouche [22 wins] in the jockey standings at the Big A winter meet with 19 wins, gave credit to agent Mike Migliore for his success this meet.

“I'm doing the best I can. I want to win this title,” said Davis. “I've been top-three or top-four for the past five years and I really want to get this title. It would be a real accomplishment for me. Mike has been working really hard behind the scenes.”

The Jorge Abreu-trained Agility stayed on well for place honors, holding off a stubborn Daufuskie Island, who finished third a head in front of Unique Unions in fourth.

“The horse ran a great race,” Carmouche said of Agility. “He lugged in a little, but I think he needs blinkers. Maybe that will straighten him up and get him going, but I thought he ran a game race. The whole way I was in good position, just second best today.”

Completing the order of finish were Cut the Cord, Doin'ittherightway, G Munning, Always Charming, and Bali's Shade.

Bred in New York by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Lakland Farm, Barese earned $55,000 in victory and improved his record to a perfect 2-2-0-0. A $2 wager on Barese returned $11.

Live racing returns to the Big A on Thursday with a nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Dutrow Considering Stretching Un Ojo Out After Great White Way Effort

Trainer Tony Dutrow said Cypress Creek Equine's Un Ojo will target races going beyond a mile following his game runner-up effort going seven furlongs in Saturday's $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series for eligible state-sired juveniles at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Un Ojo, who made his first start for trainer Dutrow in the Great White Way, has shown improvement across his four starts this year, breaking his maiden at second asking and finishing fourth in the Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., in his first try at the stakes level.

“When I went over him this morning, he seemed very good,” Dutrow said. “I was extremely happy that he continues to improve. You can see in each race that he keeps getting a little better. And he continued that pattern yesterday. He was ridden impeccably too.”

The son of Laoban, who is missing his left eye, was piloted from the outermost post 11 by jockey Trevor McCarthy and raced three-wide down the backstretch before being swung to the center of the racetrack between rivals in the turn and making a bid for the lead at the top of the stretch.

With urging from McCarthy, Un Ojo closed the gap between him and pacesetter Unique Unions but lost momentum when eventual winner Geno drifted out and brushed up against Un Ojo's eyeless left side and defeated the gelding by a half-length. With both an objection from McCarthy and a steward's inquiry resulting in no change to the order of finish, Dutrow said he was not upset with the ruling by the stewards.

“At 63 and having done nothing but horse racing my entire life, I've seen those calls yesterday go either way,” Dutrow said. “The stewards don't have an easy job; nothing is easy with horses. Should the horse have stayed up? Sure. If the horse had been taken down, would that have surprised me? No. But I'm not complaining. I don't have a problem with them keeping the horse up.”

Dutrow believes that Un Ojo's lack of vision might have contributed to his loss of momentum.

“I strongly think that if Un Ojo had both eyes, that little bump wouldn't have done anything to him,” said Dutrow. “As I was watching it, I really thought he was going by [Geno]. Then we saw the head-on and at the bump, his momentum stopped. And I do think it's because he has no left eye. When he's bumped, he doesn't know what is going on. So he was startled and if he had been able to see the horse coming in, I don't think it would have been a problem.”

Un Ojo is out of the multiple stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Risk a Chance, who herself is out of graded stakes-winning mare Seeking the Ante. Dutrow said he is confident that the dark bay's pedigree will allow him to stretch out going forward.

“I think the horse is crying to go a mile or a mile and an eighth,” said Dutrow. “I don't think there's a question about that being out of an A.P. Indy mare. I believe strongly that he can't wait for that. We've got no plans for him to be a six- or seven-furlong horse. I did learn that he's a decent enough horse to overcome a distance he does not prefer.”

Dutrow said he does not have a specific race circled on the calendar yet for Un Ojo.

“We aren't going to make the Jerome [on January 1] and I haven't really looked into it yet or talked to the client,” said Dutrow. “We would have to consider something at a mile and an eighth in February next.”

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