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Can Oaklawn Maintain ‘Boutique’ Status Over a 5-Month Meet?

The Week in Review by T.D. Thornton

It was a little odd to see Oaklawn Park in the mix of tracks running on the first weekend of December. It was even stranger to see the Arkansas track carding races for 2-year-olds, which has not happened since Mar. 27, 1975.

The winds of change are blowing through the pre-winter mists of Hot Springs. The biggest challenge facing Oaklawn as it embarks upon a Dec. 3-May 8 season for the first time is whether or not the popular track can retain the “boutique meet” flavor and feel it has cultivated over the past several decades even though the racing schedule will now extend over five months.

Oaklawn began nudging out the boundary of the spring portion of the season in 2019, when it scheduled a May 4 closure instead of the traditional mid-April wrap-up. Now the winter start has been rolled back to better dovetail with the end of the Churchill Downs meet in late November, attracting some outfits that raced in Kentucky while at the same time providing new competition to two other tracks controlled by Churchill Downs, Inc., Fair Grounds and Turfway Park.

When Oaklawn announced its intention to expand for 2021-22 back in July, it touted the ability to offer six-figure allowance races over a 66-day meet as a major draw to horse owners and trainers.

Although it's too early to get a definitive snapshot of exactly how the prospect of big bucks will translate to the Thoroughbred population, here's a comparative look at field sizes for all three venues based on the Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4, programs:

Oaklawn on Friday carded nine races featuring 75 starters. Saturday's 10 races drew 85 starters. The average field size combining both days was 8.4.

Fair Grounds on Friday ran nine races with 71 starters. Saturday had nine races with 64 starters. The two-day average field size was 7.5.

Turfway's Friday card had eight races with 77 starters. Saturday's eight races lured 83 starters. The two-day average was 10 starters per race.

Adverse weather was not an issue at any of the venues over those two dates. And clearly, there are some nuances that make direct comparisons dicey.

Oaklawn has the clear purse money advantage. Fair Grounds has the draw of a turf course, which should theoretically be helping its field-size numbers. And you can argue that comparing Turfway to either of those two tracks is not relevant, because Kentucky racing in winter is decidedly more blue-collar than the product at either Hot Springs or New Orleans.

The smart money says the matchup to watch over the course of the season is Oaklawn versus Fair Grounds. They're closer together geographically and draw from similar horse populations.

But Mother Nature could be an equalizing force. When ice and snow descend upon Arkansas, it tends to have a paralyzing effect. Oaklawn lost eight days of racing last February, and a desire to avoid the prospect of bad weather was among the factors cited when Oaklawn moved its second-weekend-of-January start date back to the fourth weekend of the month in 2019.

Remsen Recap

It's been a long time since the path to Louisville ran through New York on the first Saturday in December. Only three horses in the last 58 years–Thunder Gulch, Go for Gin and Pleasant Colony–have parlayed wins in the GII Remsen S. into a blanket of roses in the GI Kentucky Derby.

Winning the final graded stakes of the season in New York at nine furlongs looks promising in past performances, but that shine hasn't really carried over to subsequent 3-year-old form in recent seasons (with the notable exception of Catholic Boy, who won the 2017 Remsen, missed the 2018 Triple Crown, then won the GI Travers S.).

This year could be different. Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Zandon (Upstart) put on a rousing stretch fight from the eighth pole home on Saturday at Aqueduct. Both were stepping up off of maiden wins and trying two turns for the first time, and they were 9 3/4 lengths ahead of the remaining six also-rans.

Mo Donegal had a ground-saving go under Irad Ortiz Jr. for most of the trip behind a dawdling pace (first four quarters in :25.18, :26.29, :24.87 and :24.94), then skimmed across the heels of the four frontrunners to escape traffic at the top of the lane.

Zandon, by contrast, stalked three deep and jockey John Velazquez had him cleanly positioned to get second run at two tiring longshots coming off the final bend. He split horses with authority, then braced for the mid-stretch confrontation with the onrushing Mo Donegal.

They crested the eighth pole in lockstep, then the outside-running Mo Donegal tightened the lateral gap between them under right-handed stick work. But being put into tighter quarters seemed to embolden Zandon, even though it initially seemed Mo Donegal had the better late-race momentum through their final eighth in :12.33.

The Equibase chart caller minced no words in describing how Irad Ortiz Jr. then threw “repeated exaggerated crosses with the left-hand rein near the face of the runner-up” in an “attempt to intimidate” Zandon. The two bumped and brushed approaching the wire.

Mo Donegal won it by a nose, but Zandon got his head down in front just after the finish, galloping out slightly stronger and longer than the winner. Both earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

Laurel still a no-go

There were no timed workouts at Laurel Park through Sunday, even though earlier in the week track executives had stated that Saturday was the likely date for preliminary repairs to the dirt's cushion and base to be completed. It's now been a full week since horses have been allowed over the track at full speed.

As reported last week, seven Laurel Park horses have died since Nov. 6, and eight total have perished this autumn after sustaining fractures while racing or training over the newly installed main dirt track there.

Laurel had ceased racing back Apr. 11 to begin an emergency, multi-million-dollar overhaul of the main track, which reopened with no safety issues Sept. 9. But the onset of colder weather has brought problems that are believed to involve the improper settlement of the base, particularly in the homestretch.

Although executives from The Stronach Group, which owns Laurel, chose their words carefully when discussing the situation via press release last week, they are likely to face substantial grilling from the Maryland Racing Commission when the board meets Tuesday. A discussion of the safety of the surface had already been on the commission's agenda even before the track was forced to call off Dec. 3-5 racing.

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Breeders Ashview Farm, Santulli Hit Remsen-Demoiselle Double

It was 32 minutes that breeders Richard Santulli and the Lyster family will not soon forget. That was all the time it took for the partnership, which owns a limited number of mares, to have bred the winners of two graded stakes races on the same day at the same racetrack.

The feat occurred Saturday at Aqueduct where the Lysters' Ashview Farm and Santulli's Colts Neck Stables bred the winners of the GII Demoiselle S. and the GII Remsen S., contested as the eighth and ninth races on the Big A card. It began in the Remsen with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and continued with Nest (Curlin) in the Demoiselle.

“My family has been around long enough to know this was a really special accomplishment because it's so hard to breed a graded stakes winner,” said Gray Lyster, who runs Ashview, located in Versailles, Kentucky, with his father Wayne, his mother Muffy and his brother Bryan. “To breed two and to win two-late season 2-year-old races in New York that everyone is watching back to back on the same day is a perfect storm. That doesn't happen very often, so we are enjoying it.”

Santulli and Wayne Lyster are friends who have known each other for about 40 years and have been long-time partners. Wayne Lyster and Santulli's Jayeff “B” Stables were the breeders of Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Johannesburg and they also teamed up to breed Sweet Loretta (Tapit), the winner of the 2016 GI Spinaway S.

They're always on the lookout for good mares. They bought Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the dam of Nest, who was in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, for $400,000 ast the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Callingmissbrown (Pulpit), the dam of Mo Donegal, was bought privately. From there, it's a pretty simple formula–breed to the best stallions out there. (Marion Ravenwood will be bred to Curlin in 2022, and the partnership hasn't finalized plans for Callingmissbrown.)

“We really try to stay in our lane when it comes to breeding,” Lyster said. “We like to breed to really good, top, proven stallions. If not that, we will play the first-year market. Uncle Mo and Curlin are no-brainers for us. They are obviously good stallions and everybody should be using them.”

Mo Donegal was purchased for $250,000 at Keeneland September and races for Donegal Stable. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he broke his maiden in his second career start before stretching out to the mile-and-an-eighth in the Remsen. With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, he won by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry.

Nest races for the partnership of Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House and cost $350,000 at the same Keeneland September sale. Also trained by Pletcher and ridden by Ortiz, the Demoiselle was her third career start and came after a third-place finish in the Tempted S. She was also a narrow winner, scoring by a neck.

“That was something else,” Santulli said. “What a fun afternoon.”

It was the second straight year that Pletcher won the Demoiselle with a daughter of Curlin after winning the race last year with likely 3-year-old filly champion Malathaat (Curlin).

At this year's Keeneland September sale, Ashview and Colts Neck sold an Into Mischief filly who is a half-sister to Mo Donegal for $500,000. They also sold a colt by Violence who is a half-brother to Nest for $275,000.

The two yearlings give the Santulli-Lyster partnership something to look forward to in 2022, and so do Nest and Mo Donegal. They've both won graded stakes races around two turns, which bodes well for the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Kentucky Derby.

“That's what we're dreaming of, the Oaks and the Derby,” Lyster said. “How can you not? I don't want to say it is surreal, but we kind of had to pinch ourselves Saturday. We're really excited. Even if we don't make it to the Derby or Oaks, what we did Saturday was already a huge accomplishment.”

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Pletcher Sweeps Three Graded Stakes Saturday, Looks Forward To 2022

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher captured three of the four graded stakes carded Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., led by a personal exacta with Americanrevolution and Following Sea in the featured $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets.

Pletcher also saddled juveniles Mo Donegal and Nest to respective wins in the $250,000 G2 Remsen and $250,000 G2 Demoiselle, but the prosperous afternoon did not come without controversy as all three of his stakes winners survived objections/inquiries.

“Thankfully, everyone stayed up and everyone pulled up well,” Pletcher said. “It was an exciting day with plenty of drama. We were optimistic coming in that we had some horses training the way you'd want them to leading up to some big races. I'm happy they all delivered good performances.”

Americanrevolution, owned by WinStar Farm and CHC Inc., collared stablemate Following Sea in deep stretch to secure his first Grade 1 victory. Pletcher previously saddled 2001 Cigar Mile one-two finishers Left Bank and Graeme Hall.

The son of leading third-crop sire Constitution cut back to one mile after making three straight starts going nine furlongs. He entered the Cigar Mile from a victory against his Empire State-bred counterparts in the Empire Classic on October 30 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., following a third in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby one month prior at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.

Manny Franco, aboard third-place finisher Plainsman, filed an objection for possible interference in mid-stretch of the Cigar Mile, but no change was made in the order of finish.

Pletcher said he was delighted to see Americanrevolution display capabilities at various distances, adding that he was much similar to that of his sire, a Pletcher stable alumna.

“There's a lot of good horses that can sprint and route and he seems versatile enough to do that,” Pletcher said. “His sire was the same way. They were both talented horses.”

Pletcher, WinStar Farm, and CHC Inc. also campaign G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good, who will point to the G1 Pegasus World Cup on January 29 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

“He [Americanrevolution] will go to WinStar and get a little freshening and we'll come up with a game plan,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully things continue to go well with Life Is Good. He'll start off in the Pegasus. We'll try to keep those two on separate paths, but we'll worry about that when the time comes.”

Following Sea, a Spendthrift Farm owned son of Runhappy, entered the Cigar Mile from a troubled third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, where he drew the rail and had to steady in upper stretch, angling several paths wide before closing to round out the trifecta. Two starts back, he defeated multiple graded stakes-winner Firenze Fire in the G2 Vosburgh on October 9 at Belmont Park.

Following Sea also drew the rail in the Cigar Mile which Pletcher said could have had an effect on the outcome of both races.

“I feel bad for him drawing the rail twice in a row in two races where an outside post could have made a big difference in the outcome for him,” Pletcher said. “He was setting some pretty solid fractions for the way the track was playing yesterday while under some pressure from Ginobili and was able to shake him off. He fought hard to the wire, Americanrevolution just got some steam later. I was really proud of both horses' performances.”

Pletcher said the G1 Metropolitan Handicap, traditionally run on the Belmont Stakes undercard, could be a long-term goal for Following Sea.

“We know he loves Belmont, so we'll keep the Met Mile in play,” Pletcher said. “I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift, but we'll probably take him to Florida and freshen him up a bit and target something like the [Grade 1] Carter [at Aqueduct].”

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal displayed determination in the Remsen, battling with impressive maiden winner Zandon down the Aqueduct stretch and coming out a half-length on top as both horses separated themselves by nearly 10 lengths from the rest of the field.

Mo Donegal, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, bumped with Zandon, piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, in the final jumps, but a jockey's objection by Velazquez and inquiry by the stewards resulted in no change to the order of finish.

“I liked the way he ran. Those two clearly separated themselves from the rest of the field,” Pletcher said. “He put himself into the race, got himself into a good position, and then he had to wait, wait, wait. He then had to angle out and lose a little ground and momentum when he did. He's shown improvement in each start.”

Mo Donegal, a son of Uncle Mo, earned 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Derby for the Remsen score and Pletcher said the $400,000 G2 Fountain of Youth on March 5 at Gulfstream Park [50-20-10-5 qualifying points] could be a target.

“I'll talk to Jerry [Crawford of Donegal Racing] about it. We talked about it before the race yesterday and told him we planned on going to Palm Beach this week,” Pletcher said. “We could use the Fountain of Youth on March 5 as a possible target. The great thing about that time of year is there's a prep every weekend, so it's a matter of figuring out the right one for him.”

Pletcher previously saddled Bluegrass Cat [2005] and Overanalyze [2012] to Remsen scores. Both horses competed in the Kentucky Derby the following year, finishing a respective second and 11th.

Following the Remsen, Pletcher captured the Demoiselle for the seventh time with Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House's Nest.

The daughter of Curlin earned 10 qualifying points toward the 2022 Kentucky Oaks when capturing the Remsen's female counterpart race. A claim of foul lodged by runner-up Venti Valentine's trainer Jorge Abreu alleging interference in the stretch was dismissed.

Nest, a full-sister to G1 winner Idol, will target major preps on the Kentucky Oaks trail this winter.

“She'll go down to Florida and we'll look at a two-prep schedule for her leading up to the Oaks,” Pletcher said. “We'll have to figure out what those two will be. I think everything is in play. It just comes down to timing really.”

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Pletcher added that G1-placed maiden Commandperformance will join his contingent at Palm Beach Downs in Del Ray Beach, Fla., after a freshening in Kentucky. Following a runner-up in the G1 Champagne, the son of Union Rags was fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“Everything is in play for him, including a maiden race,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said he's looking forward to the opportunities ahead for his stable next year.

“We're excited. It's great having some quality horses that are staying in training for another year,” Pletcher said. “We're getting Malathaat back as well and we're excited about our yearling crop as well. It's fun and we're looking forward to it, but we also know that every day is a new challenge.”

While Pletcher will soon take his show on the road to South Florida for the winter, he will still maintain a division in New York. Among the horses likely to remain in New York for the winter include recent maiden winner A Mo Reay, who Pletcher said will target the $100,000 Busanda on January 23 at Aqueduct – a 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifier.

Pletcher added that First Constitution, a last-out second in a November 28 allowance optional claimer, will remain in New York and target the $100,000 Jazil on January 22 at Aqueduct.

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Mo Donegal Wins Narrow Victory Over Zandon In Remsen

With 2022 Kentucky Derby points on the line, Mo Donegal and Zandon battled down the stretch in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, with Mo Donegal getting a nose victory over the Chad Brown trainee in a close photo finish at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

A winner at 1 1/16 miles last out, Mo Donegal sat toward mid-pack in the field of eight throughout the first part of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen, with Zandon sitting third behind leader Fromanothamutha, who set early fractions of :25.18 and :51.47 around the first turn and down the backstretch. On the far turn, Midnight Chrome and Mr Jefferson moved past Fromanothamutha, taking over 1-2 briefly as Zandon split them and took the lead into the stretch.

In traffic on the far turn, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took Mo Donegal to the outside, going five-wide into the stretch. As the field straightened out for home, Zandon was second behind Fromanothamutha, who tired as Mo Donegal, running down the center of the track, took the lead. Zandon hooked up with Mo Donegal midstretch, with Mo Donegal holding a short lead as they came together. Zandon was not done, battling back and trying to pull even with Mo Donegal as they approached the wire. At the finish, Mo Donegal was a nose in front. The close contact between the two down the stretch and a bump as they ran together in the last sixteenth led John Velazquez to claim foul again Ortiz. The inquiry went to the stewards, who upheld the results.

The final time was 1:53.61. Find this race's chart here.

Mo Donegal paid $4.90, $2.70, and $2.30. Zandon paid $3.00 and $2.70. Midnight Chrome paid $7.10.

“We were watching the inquiry upstairs and they put it into four screens so it was hard to see, obviously they came close together right at the finish. I'd have to watch it again. I couldn't see from up there if they touched or not, but Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] did say it was right at the wire,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the Remsen. “I thought he ran great. He was getting a good, ground-saving trip and put himself in a good spot. He kind of had to angle out a little bit and lost some ground there but it looked like when he got there he is still trying to figure out how to polish it off. The other horse battled back.”

“We were down the lane fighting in a big race. He [Velazquez] was riding his horse and I was riding mine. It was a good race and we got together a little before the wire, but it was a beautiful race. He [Mo Donegal] tried his hardest and I did my best. We got lucky with the head bob and got there,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the race. “I was looking for some room [at the turn for home] and there were four horses in front of me. So, I had to wait a few jumps and go around. It probably cost me a length and a half. He idled a little bit. He's a young horse and I tried to meet the other horse and keep going. As soon as he got to the other horse, he fought back. He was ready.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Mo Donegal is by Uncle Mo out of the Pulpit mare Callingmissbrown. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 2-year-old colt is owned by Donegal Racing who purchase the colt from Ashview Farm for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his victory in the G2 Remsen, Mo Donegal has two wins in three starts for career earnings of $197,800. He also earns 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Zandon earns four points, Midnight Chrome two points, and Mr Jefferson one point.

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