Welcome to 2022 Kentucky Oaks Prospect Snapshots, where periodically we’ll profile a contender for the May 6 Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, the female equivalent of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.
Tag: Racing
National Steeplechase Association Has 16 Meets On Tap For Spring Calendar
In a positive sign that the sporting life is one step closer to a return to normalcy, the National Steeplechase Association has a full slate of 16 race meets scheduled for this spring, the most since the pre-pandemic 2019 season.
Overall, 82 races, worth $2.33 million in purses, have been carded across seven states.
The season begins on March 26 at Aiken's brand new course and location in South Carolina, and ends at another new course, the redeveloped Fair Hill Races in Elkton, Md., on May 28. All but two of the meets will be run on a Saturday; Cheshire and Winterthur will take place on a Sunday.
Meets will share a race date on four occasions: My Lady's Manor and Tryon Block House (April 16); Grand National and Middleburg (April 23); Foxfield, Maryland Hunt Cup, and Queen's Cup (April 30); and Iroquois and Willowdale (May 14). Two meets feature purses topping $300,000 – the Virginia Gold Cup ($390,000) and the Iroquois ($360,000).
The season's stellar event remains the $150,000 Iroquois in Nashville, the only Grade 1 of the spring, a target for the sport's two marquee names, the recently crowned Eclipse-Award winner, The Mean Queen, and her rival Snap Decision.
Other highlights include the Temple Gwathmey at Middleburg and David Semmes Memorial at Great Meadow, both Grade 2 open hurdle stakes each worth $75,000. For 2022, the Carolina Cup has been restored to stakes status, too, this year a $50,000 contest for novice hurdlers. The return of the Fair Hill Races also marks the return of the Valentine Memorial, which will be run as an open hurdle stake with a $50,000 purse.
Timber stars have eight opportunities to grab stakes glory. The two richest events, the historic Maryland Hunt Cup on April 30, and the Virginia Gold Cup on May 7, are worth $100,000. That reflects a substantial bump up from 2021, when purses were slashed due to economic hardships wrought by Covid.
The complete condition book can be downloaded by clicking HERE.
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Five Key Takeaways You Need to Know from Rebel Stakes Weekend
Tom Pedulla presents five key takeaways from the $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday and other major developments this weekend:
‘Piggybank’ Horse Big Engine Set To Re-Enter Stakes Competition For Rudy Rodriguez
McCourt Racing's recent allowance winner Big Engine may step back up to stakes company after returning to winning form in an optional claiming sprint on Feb. 19 at Aqueduct racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.
Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the son of Not For Love earned a pair of stakes placings in 2021 for former trainer Linda Rice, finishing second to My Boy Tate in the Hollie Hughes and third to Bank On Shea and eventual 2022 Hollie Hughes winner Wudda U Think Now in the Affirmed Success.
In his second start for Rodriguez, Big Engine was held off the pace by Trevor McCarthy throughout the six furlongs, allowing pacesetter Smooth B to cruise through an opening quarter-mile in 22.99 seconds and a half-mile in 46.34 as he and Cost Basis went head-to-head down the backstretch. Big Engine was coaxed by McCarthy rounding the turn and made steady progress down the stretch, passing the tiring frontrunners and taking command around the sixteenth pole to win by one length.
Big Engine's latest win was his ninth in 25 lifetime starts, amassing $397,565 in earnings over five seasons of racing with ten other in-the-money finishes.
“He's a nice, solid horse – he's been like a piggybank for everyone who has had him. He's made money for everyone,” Rodriguez said. “He came back good and hopefully he'll continue improving.”
Rodriguez said a step back up to stakes company makes sense for Big Engine, who already has three stakes placings on his resume.
“I will talk to the owners and see about it. I know they really want to try,” said Rodriguez. “I don't want to say no; the horse looked like he improved big time. The next logical spot would be to run him with New York-breds in a stake. We'll see what comes up.”
Big Engine is the sixth foal from the multiple stakes winning Lord Avie mare Lady Bi Bi, who won the 2003 Ticonderoga Handicap and 2005 Mount Vernon at Belmont Park.
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