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Rebel Stakes Winner Concert Tour Returns For Cox In Saturday’s Fifth Season At Oaklawn

Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox and nationally prominent owners Gary and Mary West were opponents on Oaklawn's 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby. But several months after the meeting ended in May, they began collaborating and already have two victories together this season in Hot Springs.

“I don't have a clue how many horses they've sent me,” said Cox, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2021-2022. “I can't even keep track. We have a lot. They're great to work with.”

Perhaps the most intriguing prospect Cox received from the Wests following the 2021 Oaklawn meeting, Concert Tour, was among the biggest names during the 2021 Oaklawn meeting.

Then with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Concert Tour was a flashy winner of the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds last March – the Cox-trained Caddo River was fifth – before his unbeaten record and Kentucky Derby hopes crashed with a weakening third-place finish in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in April. Caddo River was second in the Arkansas Derby.

Concert Tour, who is unraced since a ninth-place finish in last May's Preakness, makes his first start for Cox in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn. The 1-mile Fifth Season has drawn a strong field of nine, including three millionaires (Rated R Superstar, Snapper Sinclair and Long Range Toddy), another Oaklawn stakes winner (Silver Prospector) and Mucho, who will be making his two-turn debut.

Probable post time for the Fifth Season, which goes as the eighth of nine races, is 3:46 p.m. (Central). First post Saturday is 12:30 p.m.

Concert Tour, the 5-2 program favorite, has nine published workouts since Nov. 14 in advance of his 4-year-old debut. Concert Tour was entered in the $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes Dec. 27 at Fair Grounds, but scratched after the race didn't come off the grass. A forward factor early in his first five career starts, Concert Tour's return to Oaklawn will mark his first start without blinkers. He also adds Lasix for the first time since his debut last January at Santa Anita.

“I like him a lot,” Cox said. “He's a talented horse. I think if he runs the way he trains, we'll be in good shape.”

The projected Fifth Season field from the rail out: Thomas Shelby, David Cohen to ride, 122 pounds, 5-1 on the morning line; Rated R Superstar, David Cabrera, 122, 8-1; Snapper Sinclair, Ramon Vazquez, 122, 6-1; Necker Island, Francisco Arrieta, 122, 9-2; Concert Tour, Joel Rosario, 122, 5-2; Atoka, Luis Contreras, 122, 15-1; Long Range Toddy, Jon Court, 115, 10-1; Silver Prospector, Ricardo Santana Jr., 115, 10-1; and Mucho, Florent Geroux, 122, 7-2.

Mucho came from just off the pace to capture an allowance sprint Dec. 18 at Oaklawn for trainer John Ortiz and owners WSS Racing (William Simon) and 4 G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway). Mucho has bankrolled $686,729 in a 29-race career, but the 6-year-old son of 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame has never raced around two turns. Ortiz, on behalf of WSS and 4 G, claimed Mucho for $80,000 in November 2020 at Churchill Downs.

“To me, I don't think distance is going to be an issue,” Ortiz said. “The only variable that we have here is going to be the two turns. Will he sprint out and run off or will he sprint out and be able to rate and either dictate the speed or just sit off the pace and use his sprint ability for the finish?”

Snapper Sinclair seeks his first career stakes victory on dirt after finishing second, beaten a neck in the 2020 Fifth Season, and finishing fifth in the 2019 Fifth Season for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and co-owner Jeff Bloom (Bloom Racing). Snapper Sinclair finished fifth in his last start, the $100,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes Dec. 18 at Turfway Park. Turfway has a synthetic surface.

“He had come out of the Breeders' Cup in such great shape and we didn't really have a whole of options with him and he had yet to run on a synthetic track,” Bloom said. “We just figured, 'What the heck? Let's give it a try.' It was one of his extremely rare, sort of flat performances, so we just kind of drawn a line through that one and refocus on the coming year.”

The speedy Thomas Shelby cuts back to a mile after finishing a game second behind heralded stablemate Lone Rock in the inaugural $200,000 Tinsel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 18 at Oaklawn for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

“I think it's the best race he's run,” Diodoro said.

Thomas Shelby won seven races in 2021, including two last spring at Oaklawn, after being privately purchased by Diodoro's major client, four-time local leading owner M and M Racing (Mike and Mickala Sisk).

Silver Prospector, another Asmussen trainee, is seeking his first stakes victory since the $750,000 Southwest (G3) for 3-year-olds in 2020 at Oaklawn. Necker Island ran ninth in the rescheduled 2020 Kentucky Derby and returns to a route after finishing fourth in the $150,000 Thanksgiving Classic Stakes Nov. 25 at Fair Grounds for 2015 Oaklawn training champion Chris Hartman.

The Fifth Season is a major steppingstone toward the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 23. The Asmussen-trained Silver State won the Fifth Season and Oaklawn Handicap in 2021.

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Danjer Named World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse For 2021

Danjer dominated the racetrack in 2021, and for those accomplishments, he was crowned World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse at the AQHA Racing Champions Announcement Ceremony Jan. 12 at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City. He is owned by breeder Dean Frey in partnership with Downtime Enterprises LLC and Billy Smith, and was also named champion aged horse and champion aged gelding.

Danjer was the 2020 champion aged horse and champion aged gelding, and only improved as a 5-year-old in 2021. He made seven starts, with five wins and two seconds, earning $651,113. His year was highlighted by victories in the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1), Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), Refrigerator Invitational Championship (G1), All American Gold Cup (G1), and Bank of America Canterbury Championship Challenge (G3). The gelding by FDD Dynasty and out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic raced at five different racetracks in four states during his world champion year. He was trained by Dean Frey and ridden in all his starts by Cody Smith.

Eagles Fly Higher repeats as the champion aged stallion after winning two of nine starts and earning $107,902. The 5-year-old stallion by One Famous Eagle and out of the First Down Dash mare Lone Bet was bred by V.H. Harman Jr. and Robert Moudy III, and he is owned by Darling Farms and Valeriano Racing Stables LLC. He won the Eastex Stakes (G2) and Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2). He was trained by Roberto G. Madrigal, Jaime Gomez and Casey Black, and ridden by James A. Flores, Jose Nicasio, Oscar Peinado and Mario Delgado.

The daughter of champion Fredaville, Kiss Thru Fire herself became a champion for owner and breeder Gentry Farms as the champion aged mare. At age 4, the Walk Thru Fire mare raced eight times, winning four races to earn $132,147. She was trained by Juan G. Aleman and Trey Wood and ridden by Raul A. Valenzuela. Her stakes wins include the Charger Bar Handicap (G1), Denim N Diamonds Handicap (G3), California Breeders Matron Stakes (RG3) and Sound Dash Handicap.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Jess Savin Candy was named the champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old gelding. Bred by Jim and Donna O'Neal and raced by Dutch Masters III, the son of Jess Good Candy out of the Pappasito mare Savin Grace won four of six starts and earned $1,046,200. Trained by John Stinebaugh and ridden by Francisco Calderon, his year was highlighted by victories in the Grade 1 Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities.

The champion 2-year-old colt is Golden Boi, a son of Favorite Cartel out of Logans Dash by Toast To Dash. He was bred and raced by M and G Farms Inc., trained by Valentin A. Zamudio and ridden by Ruben Lozano. Golden Boi won four of six starts and earned $488,791, including a victory in the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1).

Revenant Moon is the champion 2-year-old filly after a season that included three wins in five starts and earnings of $224,418. Bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez, Revenant Moon is by A Revenant and out of the FDD Dynasty mare Sochi Moon. She was raced by Trey Odom, Scott Bryant and Norman W. Allen, and trainer Trey Wood and jockey Jose Alvarez guided the filly to a year that included winning the Oklahoma Futurity (G2).

Empressum was impressive with nine wins from 10 starts and earnings of $969,755, and is honored as the champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old gelding. He was bred and is owned by Jeff D. Jones and Steve A. Holt, and is by Apollitical Jess and out of the First Down Dash mare Crazy Down Corona. He was trained by M. Heath Taylor and ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, and won the Texas Classic Derby (G1), Ruidoso Derby (G1), Rainbow Derby (G1) and Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby (RG2).

Last year's world champion Whistle Stop Cafe was honored again this year as the champion 3-year-old filly for owner Whitmire Ranch after a season that saw her win three races, including the Rainbow Oaks, and earn $247,854. She was trained by Trey Wood and ridden by Tanner Thedford. Whistle Stop Cafe was bred by American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Bobby D. Cox and is by Freighttrain B and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Sinuous.

Another repeat champion is 3-year-old colt Dulce Sin Tacha, who won three of five starts, with two seconds, and earned $175,286. Bred by owners Bob and Jerry Gaston, he is by Jess Good Candy and out of the Tempting Dash mare Prissy Sin Tacha. Trained by M. Heath Taylor, he was ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo and James Flores.

The distance champion is Rogers Farms' Wascallywittlewabbit, a 6-year-old gelding by Heza Motor Scooter and out of the Rabbits Rainbow mare Rabbits N Diamonds. He was bred by Mike Weatherly, trained by Michael W. Joiner and ridden by Benito Jude Baca. He won five of seven starts and earned $184,013, including the Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1), Zia 870 Championship, Remington Park Distance Championship (G1) and Pauls Valley Stakes (G2).

Alberta-bred Destello De Luna is the Canadian champion for owners Jane Leech and Haley Moreno. Bred by Ken McFarlane, the gelding is by Lethal N First and out of the Toast To Dash mare A Mere Toast. Trained by William Leech and ridden by Ricardo Moreno, Destello De Luna won or placed in all six of his starts. He won two races, including the Alberta-bred Futurity (RG3), and earned $37,479.

The Danny Cartel filly Texana Cartel is the Mexican champion for breeder and owner Cuadra La Presita. The freshman filly is out of the Oak Tree Special mare La Texana Tree, and won three of five starts, with two seconds. She earned $218,905 under the guidance of trainer Ismael Ayala and riders Paul Osvaldo Rodriguez, L. Vidana and Jose Angel Ambriosio. Her stakes wins include the Subasta Selecta Futurity (RG2) and Garanones Futurity (RG2).

Repeating as the South American champion is Fantastic Fly Apollo, a 2017 colt racing for breeder Ademir Jose Rorato. The horse won both of two starts and earned $20,844. His wins include the GP Pres. Do Jockey Club De Sorocaba and GP Pres. Da ABQM – II Derby. He is by Fantastic Corona Jr and out of the Eyesa Special mare Flyapolloeyesa BR. He was trained by Rivail Rosa and ridden by B. Guimaraes.

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame horseman Bobby D. Cox earns his fourth champion breeder title, again leading the industry by both money earned and races won, with his standouts including champion Whistle Stop Cafe. The champion owners, Dutch Masters III, this year saw their horses win at a 34 percent clip, led by champion Jess Savin Candy. Oklahoma-based trainer Jason Olmstead saddled the earners of more than $1.9 million and was honored as the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer for the first time. Also earning his first nod as champion jockey was Francisco Calderon, whose mounts earned more than $3.3 million.

For more information on AQHA racing, visit www.aqha.com/racing.

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Neige Blanche Set For Marathon Trip In Monday’s Astra Stakes

Trainer Leonard Powell, him self a French native, will send out like favorite Neige Blanche (white snow) a 5-year-old French-bred mare, in Monday's Grade 3, $125,000 Astra Stakes at Santa Anita. For older fillies and mares with a hillside start at a marathon 1 1/2 miles on turf, the Astra has attracted a field of five.

A winner of the G3 Santa Barbara Stakes going the same distance five starts back on May, 2021, Neige Blanche has maintained a consistent form, winning an ungraded stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf three starts back on Aug. 14 at Del Mar, and winning her most recent assignment, the G3 Red Carpet Handicap at a mile and three eighths on turf Nov. 25.

A winner of three of her six starts in her native France, Neige Blanche has won three of her nine stateside starts with Powell, including winning three out of six last year and a career-best $204,168. Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsh Naify and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche took the Red Carpet in gate to wire fashion but has also proven effective stalking the pace in marathon scenarios. With an overall mark of 15-6-0-3, she's the leading money earner in the field with $315,280 and will be ridden for the seventh consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

California-bred Reiwa, a winner of two consecutive allowance races on Oct. 30 and Nov. 20 at Golden Gate Fields, comes off a fourth place finish in the ungraded Miss America Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Dec. 12. Trained by Jonathan Wong, Reiwa, a 5-year-old mare by the El Prado stallion James Street, is 18-4-5-0 overall and will be looking for her first stakes win with Umberto Rispoli up.

THE GRADE 3 ASTRA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Disappearing Act—Flavien Prat—120
Frose—Mario Gutierrez—120
Reiwa—Umberto Rispoli—120
Scherzo—Kyle Frey–120

First post time on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday is at 12:30 p.m. In addition to holiday racing, there will be one dollar beers, sodas and two dollar hot dogs offered through the afternoon. Admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

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Maker Has Strength In Numbers For Pegasus World Cup Turf

Especially when it comes to major turf stakes, trainer Mike Maker believes in the power of numbers. In that regard, he's hoping to get as many as four horses into the 12-horse starting gate for Gulfstream Park's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 29.

While last year's third-place finisher, Cross Border, and multiple graded-stakes winner Field Pass are among the original invitees to the 1 1/8-mile grass race, the Maker-trained Atone and Flavius await on the also-eligible list.

Maker is particularly hoping that Atone, second in Gulfstream Park's Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 18 behind Pegasus Turf invitee Doswell, gets in the field. Owner Three Diamonds Farm could have some say-so in Atone's destiny, as it also owns Field Pass and Cross Border.

“I'd sure be disappointed if he doesn't make it into the body,” Maker said. “He's run well every time we've had him. Before we had him, he had some behavior issues and they gelded him. That seemed to work. I'm really high on that horse.”

Kirk Wycoff of Three Diamonds purchased Atone for $130,000 at Fasig-Tipton's horses of racing age sale last July. After an initial sixth place, the son of Spendthrift Farm's stallion sensation Into Mischief sported two wins and a second in three New York allowance races before making the Fort Lauderdale only his second stakes appearance.

“He's just improved, holds his weight really well,” Maker said. “It seems like he's getting better each race.”

Field Pass comes into the Pegasus off a victory in Del Mar's Seabiscuit (G2), his fifth graded victory at five different tracks. The Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid owns two additional stakes among his eight career victories, including Gulfstream Park's 2020 Dania Beach on turf.

Maker said Field Pass will definitely run in the Pegasus Turf. He called the Three Diamonds trio “all classy horses. Atone is an up-and-comer. Cross Border, you could say that it seems like he's been running forever. Field Pass, he's won a stakes in California, won a stakes in Kentucky. He's won on the [Polytrack] at Woodbine and Turfway. He's won a stakes in Maryland. At Gulfstream.”

Three Diamonds has the option of keeping Cross Border with Maker's division at Turfway Park, which has stakes for older horses in February and April 2 over its all-weather Tapeta surface. Cross Border, an 8-year-old millionaire, won Turfway's $100,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes in his last start. Cross Border won last summer's Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga before taking third in the Sword Dancer (G1).

“He ran third in the race last year, so he deserves his chance, too,” Maker said of the Pegasus Turf. “He's an old classy veteran who loves Saratoga and always runs well at Gulfstream. He had some tough luck last year in the Pegasus but still managed to run up for third.”

The stable's fourth Pegasus Turf contender is Flavius, purchased for $230,000 by Michael Iavarone from Juddmonte Farms at Keeneland's November sale. Flavius has yet to start for Maker but has four strong workouts at Gulfstream for his new barn. Flavius is graded-stakes placed with his biggest victory Kentucky Downs' $750,000 Tourist Mile in 2020. He was fifth in the same race in 2021, with the stakes promoted to a Grade 3 worth $1 million and renamed the WinStar Mint Million.

“His works have been very good,” Maker said. “We've worked him with some good horses and he's held his own, galloping out. His hair, weight, I'm very pleased with his appetite, his energy level, everything is doing well.”

The 7-year-old Flavius, who was previously trained by Chad Brown after starting his career in Ireland, has not raced farther than 1 1/16 miles since finishing a close fourth in the 2019 Fort Lauderdale, whose 1 1/8 miles is the same as the Pegasus Turf. However, he won a minor stakes at 1 1/4 miles in Ireland in his third start.

“I'd like to get all four in,” Maker said of his Pegasus Turf contenders.

Maker ran two horses in the Pegasus Turf each of the past two years, including winning with Zulu Alpha in 2020.

He also said that Endorsed will run in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) if he can get in that field. Endorsed, a $100,000 claim at Saratoga last August, has raced four times for owner Mark Breen and Maker, all in one-turn races but closing well. He was a very good second in Gulfstream Park's seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) Dec. 11 in his last start.

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