Tag: Oaklawn

Saturday’s Derby Prep Runners Look Ahead

All of the major runners in Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby preps have come out of their respective races well according to releases by Aqueduct, Oaklawn and Gulfstream Park.

GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew) still had his connections flying high the morning after his upset win over 'TDN Rising Star' and Eclipse champion Fierceness (City of Light).

“He galloped out really strong [yesterday],” trainer Joe Orseno told Gulfstream Park media Sunday morning. “I don't think we got to the bottom of him yet. We're real happy with him, especially the way he looked this morning.”

As for future starts, Orseno added, “There's no question it will be the Fountain of Youth or the Florida Derby. I think it will be only one, but I don't know which one it will be yet. He's lightly raced. He's only run 5 1/2 [furlongs] and 7, and [Saturday] two turns. I think that being said, we have the opportunity to have a fresh horse on the first Saturday in May.”

In New York, the Pennsylvania-bred Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion), winner of the GIII Withers S., also responded well following his efforts Saturday.

“He came out of it very well, and I'm very happy with him,” said trainer Butch Reid, Jr. “He was very sharp and bouncing around the barn last night. He'll get a few days of rest on the farm, which will be nice.”

Reid Jr. indicated that, while future plans regarding a next start are still up for discussion, connections are considering the GII Wood Memorial S. April 6.

At Oaklawn Park, the GIII Southwest S. winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) is, per trainer Kenny McPeek, already being pointed at the GI Arkansas Derby after previously finishing fifth in the Smarty Jones S. Jan 1.

“We had a good feeling before the race,” said owner/breeder Lance Gasaway. “He wasn't ready for the long race, the Smarty Jones. He needed the race, so we felt pretty confident coming into the race. He [McPeek] can do it.”

Southwest runner up Just Steel (Justify) will make his next start in the GII Rebel S. Feb. 24 according to his trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

“He's still carrying a little weight,” Lukas said. “He's a big, powerful horse and I think with racing, he'll drop some of that weight and he'll be a little bit better at finishing. I look forward to the next one [Rebel]. That one should be starting to get us where we want to be. I think he needs racing.”

Trainer Robert Medina noted that Saturday's third-place finisher Liberal Arts (Arrogate) will join Mystik Dan in bypassing the Rebel and likely going straight to the Arkansas Derby.

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Kenny McPeek’s Mystik Dan Upends Oaklawn’s Southwest

One of four Kentucky Derby preps run Saturday, the $800,000 GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park was the richest. It also promised to be the most wide-open betting contest and it didn't disappoint as a mud-splattered 11-1 MYSTIK DAN (c, 3, Goldencents–Ma'am, by Colonel John) pulled the upset for trainer Kenny McPeek. Last fall's Ed Brown S. winner Just Steel (Justify) got up for second while GIII Street Sense S. winner Liberal Arts (Arrogate) secured third. The Southwest offers points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale for the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Out from the 10 post in the mud, Mystik Dan broke sharply only to angle over to the rail and settle midpack under Brian Hernandez, Jr. Otto the Conqueror (Street Sense), winner of the Springboard Mile S. in December, set a :23.56 and :47.95 pace up front with his ears pricked while previously undefeated race favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Carbone (Mitole) pressured him from the outside. Meanwhile, Mystik Dan bided his time on the rail, with Hernandez carefully concealing the power about to be unleashed. Just Steel, keen early in fourth, collared Otto the Conqueror from the outside off the turn and looked to be running easily while Mystik Dan, so close to the rail he could have scraped paint, found a seam and burst through. The two spent the briefest of moments on even terms before Mystik Dan thumbed his nose at the competition, simply forgetting to stop as he looked stronger with every stride and sailed home eight lengths to the good after being geared down late. It was a visually impressive performance as Just Steel held for second, a neck over a closing Liberal Arts, who was nine lengths clear of the rest.

An open-daylight maiden sprint winner at Churchill in November, Mystik Dan brought a field-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure into the Southwest. Last seen finishing fifth behind Catching Freedom (Constitution) in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S. on New Year's Day at his first try at the Southwest distance, he had faded in the stretch that day after pressing the pace.

McPeek and Hernandez also teamed up to win Oaklawn's Kentucky Oaks points race on Saturday–the $250,000 Martha Washington S.–with longshot Band of Gold (Preservationist). The pair of victories marked the first wins by each of the veterans in both of the races.

Well clear in the stretch | Coady/Robi Heffington

Pedigree Notes:

A homebred for the team of Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing LLC, Mystik Dan is out of a Colonel John mare bred by the late Lucy Bassett and originally trained by McPeek. Ma'am, out of a full-sister to GI Hollywood Futurity and GII Lane's End Breeders' Futurity winner Siphonic (Siphon {Brz}), also hails from the same family as GISW Laragh (Tapit), MGSW and sire Summer Front (War Front), and MGSW & GISP Dixie Dot Com (Dixie Brass). Ma'am has a 2-year-old Unified filly named Yes Ma'am and a yearling Knicks Go filly named Ford's Ma'am for the same team. She was bred to Wells Bayou for 2024.

Two-time GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and Spendthrift sire Goldencents has 27 black-type winners worldwide. Mystik Dan is his seventh graded winner while also being the 10th black-type winner out of a daughter of Colonel John. The latter was last reported to be standing in Korea.

 

Saturday, Oaklawn
SOUTHWEST S.-GIII, $800,000, Oaklawn, 2-3, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.67, my.
1–MYSTIK DAN, 118, c, 3, by Goldencents
                1st Dam: Ma'am, by Colonel John
                2nd Dam: Lady Siphonica, by Siphon (Brz)
                3rd Dam: Cherokee Crossing, by Cherokee Colony
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Lance
Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $408,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-2-1-0, $510,110. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Just Steel, 117, c, 3, Justify–Irish Lights (Aus), by Fastnet Rock
(Aus). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($500,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).
O-BC Stables, LLC; B-Summerhill Farm (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas.
$136,000.
3–Liberal Arts, 119, c, 3, Arrogate–Ismene, by Tribal Rule.
O/B-Stephen Ferraro & Evan Ferraro (KY); T-Robert Medina.
$68,000.
Margins: 8, NK, 9. Odds: 11.40, 10.30, 4.90.
Also Ran: Awesome Road, Common Defense, Otto the Conqueror, Carbone, Linebacker, Charleston, Magic Grant, Wynstock. Scratched: Maycocks Bay.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Fetlock Joint Radiographs Required at Oaklawn for Repeated Intra-Articular Injections

The pilot program currently in place at Oaklawn Park under which veterinarians administer any intra-articular corticosteroid injections at the racetrack in a designated area and in the presence of Oaklawn's integrity department has an addendum: any repeated intra-articular corticosteroid injection to the fetlock joint will now require the attending veterinarian to perform a radiograph. The original program was in association with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and began Dec. 8 along with the track's 2023-24 race season. The new rule will be in place beginning Jan. 25, is in partnership with the Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), and is in consultation with the Grayson Jockey Club, according to a Wednesday afternoon release from Oaklawn.

Oaklawn's statement said, in part: “Studies have shown the fetlock joint contributes to a larger portion of equine injuries and this rule will give veterinarians more tools to diagnose potential injuries. If the connections believe a Covered Horse should have an intra-articular corticosteroid injection of a fetlock joint within 60 days of a previous injection, the connections are required to have specific digital imaging (radiographs) taken by the attending veterinarian. The attending veterinarian will then assess the fetlock joint radiograph for potentially dangerous findings before the repeated injection is administered.”

Oaklawn, in partnership with the Arkansas HBPA, will pay up to $250 for each required set of radiographs to assist with the costs. The program will continue through May 4, when the current Oaklawn meet draws to a close.

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Variable Winter Weather Wreaking Havoc With Racing

Winter weather conditions on the East Coast and the Midwest continue to impact racing operations at a variety of racetracks.

Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia cancelled Monday's scheduled live program in the morning hours and by mid-afternoon, word was circulating that the live card for Tuesday was also called off. Temperatures well-below freezing prompted weekend cancellations at Aqueduct and Laurel and although temperatures in the region flirted with the 40-degree mark on Monday, the thawing and re-freezing of racing surfaces is surely causing nightmares for track superintendents.

Temperatures had once again sunk to sub-freezing by nightfall Monday, but the forecast is slightly more positive–albeit rainy–over the next 72 hours. According to weather.com, the lowest low temperature is 33 degrees during the overnight hours Tuesday into Wednesday, with a predicted high temperature of 61 degrees by Friday.

The next scheduled card at Parx is this Wednesday.

Officials at Oaklawn Park were forced to cancel its entire slate of racing last weekend and conditions were forecast to moderate over the coming days. That fact notwithstanding, training has not been taking place at the Hot Springs oval and according to a communique to the local horsepeople, the track will not open for training before 2 p.m. this Wednesday, Jan. 24. A further update was expected by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Turfway Park was able to conduct live racing last Wednesday and Thursday, but were forced to cancel both Friday and Saturday's programs.

Racing is scheduled to resume Wednesday at Turfway and Friday at Aqueduct, Laurel and–tentatively–Oaklawn.

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