Oaklawn Barn Notes: Gun Runner heavily favored in Razorback, Uncontested in Southwest

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Uncontested; Coady Photography
Uncontested to Test His Speed in Monday’s Southwest Stakes

Only one 3-year-old has run a faster mile in January at Oaklawn than Triple Crown nominee Uncontested.

There was cause for concern Jan. 21, 1994, when Concern won an entry-level allowance race in 1:36.16, still the fastest mile by a 3-year-old since Oaklawn began regularly opening during that month in 1988.
Concern went on to win the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G2) at Oaklawn and $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs later that year.

Uncontested is off to a fast start, too. Over a sloppy, sealed surface Jan. 16, he galloped to a wire-to-wire 5 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. The son of Tiz Wonderful covered the mile in 1:36.32 – the previous stakes record was 1:38.05 – in recording the most lopsided victory in the race’s 10-year-history.

“Everything he does is effortless, and the biggest attribute for me that he has is his mind,” said Channing Hill, Uncontested’s regular rider “Nothing shakes him. Nothing bothers him. It’s not like he’s ripping on the lead. It’s not like he’s all out It’s not like he’s going :46, like he’s struggling to do it and I’m fighting to take him back. Going :46 for him is just a long rein, two deep breaths and just a cruise. You always feel like you have more, which is nice.”

Uncontested has won of 2 of 3 lifetime starts. He won his Oct. 19 career debut at Keeneland in 1:15.81 for 6 ½ furlongs (the track record is 1:1505) before finishing fourth in his two-turn debut, the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Uncontested led at every point of call in his career debut and was the pacesetter in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club. Hill said a horse “will have to really break” and “really commit” to grab an early lead from Uncontested.

“Not only is he fast that first jump out, he’s fast the three, four, five jumps out, where you’re moving into the turn,” Hill said. “If they’re in front of him, they’ll probably end up going quick.”

V for Johnny V?

Lightly raced One Liner is the 7-2 second choice in the program for the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Monday at Oaklawn, a 1 1/16-mile race that will mark the biggest test in the unbeaten colt’s young career.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, One Liner (2 for 2) has been based this winter in south Florida, winning a first-level allowance/optional claiming sprint Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park in his 3-year-old debut.

“Obviously, he’s stepping up to a big race Monday,” said the colt’s regular rider, Hall of Famer John Velazquez. “But I think he’s a very talented horse and hopefully he can put it all together and run really well.”

One Liner, a son of Into Mischief, was a July 23 career debut winner at Saratoga. The runner-up in that race, Royal Copy, returned to finish second in the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 5 at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Velazquez said he doesn’t believe stretching out for the first time will be a major hurdle for One Liner, who races for WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club and SF Racing LLC.

“He’s always shown a lot of talent in the morning,” Velazquez said “He’s done everything really well. Now, it’s going from an allowance race to the wolves, basically. I think he’s definitely a very good horse. It’s tough task coming from a long layoff, with just one race, and then running into the tough guys. I mean, he’s a tough guy himself.”

One Liner has been favored in both career starts.

The 5-2 program favorite for the Southwest is Uncontested, winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 16.

Million Dollar Man?

A top three finish in Monday’s $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses will make Smack Smack a millionaire for trainer Don Von Hemel of Hot Springs.

Von Hemel, 82, has never trained a millionaire, but Smack Smack ($955,430) would earn $50,000 for a third-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Razorback

Von Hemel opted for the Razorback over a money-allowance/optional claimer Monday, a 1 1/16-mile race that drew, among others, multiple stakes winner Shotgun Kowboy, millionaire Carve and major stakes winner Suddenbreakingnews for son/ trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel.

“It came down to thinking about what’s the worst scenario that could happen,” said Don Von Hemel, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1981. “If I run last, I still get my money back. In that allowance race, if I don’t run as good as fifth, I’m in trouble. In a nine-race field, a lot of things happen.”

Smack Smack is winless in six career starts at Oaklawn, but has run second four times, including the $125,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 13 in his last start.

Smack Smack is 10-1 in the program for the Razorback.

“I’ve beat a couple of those horses in the past that’s in there,” Von Hemel said. “I wish it was a mile and an eighth. I would have never even questioned about going.”

Smack Smack, a 6-year-old Closing Argument gelding who races for his breeder, country music star Toby Keith, has won 10 of 31 career starts overall.

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Sunday morning. … Whitmore, perfect in four career sprint starts, recorded a 5-furlong bullet in company (1:00.60) Sunday morning for co-owner/trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs in advance of the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters March 11. … Also working about 10 minutes after the track opened Sunday morning was My Sweet Stella, who went a half-mile in :49 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. My Sweet Stella is pointing for the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies March 11, Lukas said. My Sweet Stella was runner-up in the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes Jan. 21 and $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 11. Other locally based horses pointing for the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee include Dixie Belle and Martha Washington winner Chanel’s Legacy, Torrent and Perfect Wife, third and eighth, respectively, in the Martha Washington, and Someday Soon, a powerful first-level allowance/optional claiming winner last Sunday. … Wolf Man Rocket, who broke his maiden in the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes for 3-year-olds in 2015 at Oaklawn, worked a half-mile in :50.20 Sunday morning for trainer Tom Howard of Hot Springs. … Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Marquee Miss is pointing for the $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older female sprinters March 4, trainer Ingrid Mason said Sunday morning.

GUN RUNNER HEAVILY FAVORED FOR MONDAY’S RAZORBACK

Oaklawn General Manager Eric Jackson said he was kicking around ideas a couple of years ago to strengthen the track’s two-turn stakes program for older horses when he zeroed in on the Razorback Handicap. Jackson said he was thinking of a hefty purse hike.

Racing secretary Pat Pope had an idea, too. He wanted to move the 1 1/16 Razorback up approximately a month on the calendar to give horses an attractive steppingstone from Arkansas to the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1), run this year March 25 at Meydan Racecourse.

Mission accomplished? Maybe.

One horse entered in Monday’s $500,000 Razorback (G3) is eyeing a trip to the Middle East and that’s Gun Runner, the overwhelming 4-5 program favorite for his scheduled 4-year-old debut.

Probable post time for the Razorback, the seventh of 10 races, is 4:09 pm. (Central). Racing begins at 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Gun Runner’s eye-catching resume includes a victory against older horses in the $500,000 Clark Handicap (G1) Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs in his last start, a victory in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) last March and a third-place finish in the $2 million Kentucky Derby (G1) last May.

After a heavyweight matchup with California Chrome and Arrogate ($12 million Pegasus World Cup) was scrubbed last month following an outbreak of equine herpes at Fair Grounds, Gun Runner, a career winner of $2,037,800, was re-routed to Oaklawn to prep for a possible trip to the desert.

“The only downside to it was we would have liked to have run (in Florida) to assess how he was doing as a 4-year-old and make the decision then as to whether to go to Dubai,” said David Fiske, manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which co-owns the Candy Ride colt with Three Chimneys Farm. “It would have given us a little more latitude. If he’d run well against Arrogate and California Chrome, and California Chrome retires, you’d think he and Arrogate would be the two best older horses in the country and you could go to Dubai with some confidence. As far as the timeframe, that was really the only disappointment of it.”

Fiske said the Razorback, previously worth $350,000, was the “next most attractive race on the calendar” for Gun Runner, who was based this winter at Fair Grounds before shipping to Oaklawn earlier this month.

The Razorback also gives Gun Runner’s connections more time to ponder a trip to the Middle East, Fiske said.

Regular rider Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride Gun Runner, who, after being assigned top weight of 122 pounds, drew the rail.

Also entered in the Razorback from the rail out: Domain’s Rap, Ramon Vazquez to ride, 117 pounds, 6-1 on the morning line; Blue Tone, Jose Ortiz, 116, 9-2; Smack Smack, Shane Laviolette, 115, 10-1; Hawaakom, Miguel Mena, 115, 10-1; Chief of Staff, Walter De La Cruz, 111, 20-1; Dazzling Gem, Robby Albarado, 115, 8-1; and Goats Town, Chris Landeros, 110, 20-1.

Trainer Brad Cox said Sunday morning that Dazzling Gem will be scratched and remain at Fair Grounds to run in the $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap (G3) Feb. 25.

Gun Runner has a series of fast workouts leading up to his 4-year-old debut, including a sparkling 5-furlong bullet drill (:59.80) Monday morning.

“The trepidation I have is the weather,” Fiske said. “His two worst races have been on an off track. That would be my greatest concern. I think his work the other day was pretty … I think he’s ready.”

Blue Tone ships in from Southern California for trainer Bob Hess Jr. off a front-running 1 ¼-length victory in the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G3) on a sloppy track Jan. 7 at Santa Anita. Hess said the purse was a major reason why Blue Tone is in the Razorback, adding he believes the 8-year-old Birdstone gelding will like the surface, particularly if it’s wet.

The downside, Hess said, is facing Gun Runner.

“He’s ready to run,” Hess said of Blue Tone. “Gun Runner, obviously, is a huge, huge obstacle, a horse we respect. Hopefully, we can run second to him. That’s all I can say. We’re trying to win, but a second wouldn’t be too shabby, either.”

UNCONTESTED FAVORED AGAINST 12 IN MONDAY’S SOUTHWEST

Uncontested can become the second horse to sweep Oaklawn’s first two major Kentucky Derby preps in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Monday.

Probable post time for the 1 1/16-mile Southwest, the ninth of 10 races, is 5:09 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 1:05 p.m.

Uncontested, who races for Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta, exits a front-running 5 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 16, Oaklawn’s first of four Kentucky Derby preps. The son of Tiz Wonderful ran the mile over a sloppy, sealed surface in 1:36.32 – fastest time since the Smarty Jones was inaugurated in 2008 – and set a record for margin of victory.

“It’s always tougher,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “You always like to make the next step – a forward step – get a little better. They’re only going to get tougher each race. The horse is going in great. That’s all we can ask for.”

Catalano’s son-in-law, Channing Hill, is named on Uncontested, who is scheduled to break from post 3 under top weight of 122 pounds. Catalano called the post, “perfect.”

“Got to be happy with that, right?” Catalano said.

Also entered in the Southwest from the rail out: Cool Arrow, Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, 119 pounds, 12-1 in the program; Silver Dust, Corey Lanerie, 115, 10-1; Lookin At Lee, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 8-1; Rowdy the Warrior, Luis Quinonez, 115, 20-1; Cu Rahy, Glenn Corbett, 115, 50-1; Warrior’s Club, Chris Landeros, 117, 12-1; Petrov, Jose Ortiz, 5-1, 115; Dilettante, Florent Geroux, 115, 15-1; Hence, Ramon Vazquez, 115, 20-1; One Liner, John Velazquez, 115, 7-2; P C Cowboy, Carlos Marquez Jr., 115, 30-1; and Chief Know It All, Joe Rocco Jr., 117, 12-1.

Cool Arrow will be scratched to remain at Fair Grounds to run in the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 25, according to the Oaklawn racing department.

Also returning from the Smarty Jones are Petrov, Rowdy the Warrior, Warrior’s Club and Cu Rahy, the 2-3-4-5 finishers, respectively.

Ron Moquett of Hot Springs, Petrov’s trainer/co-owner, saddled Far Right to win the Smarty Jones and Southwest in 2015.

Moquett said he believes Monday’s race could unfold differently than the Smarty Jones, when Petrov was in chase mode because Uncontested was on an uncontested lead.

“The only reason the pace had anything to do with it the last time was because we were going the short stretch of a mile and it was a sloppy track,” said Moquett, who originally trained Uncontested. “I knew there was going to a superior, classy horse out there without anybody doing anything. So we had to be in the unsavory position of chasing, which is the worst thing that you can do. This time, there should be a pace to where everybody gets a shot. If somebody wants to commit themselves to go the lead, they can do that.”

One Liner, unbeaten in two career starts, will be making his two-turn debut in the Southwest for trainer Todd Pletcher. He is coming off a 2 ½-length first-level allowance/optional claiming victory Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. The Into Mischief colt has raced just off the pace in both career starts under Velazquez, a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

“I don’t mind it,” Velazquez said of his outside draw Monday. “He’s quick enough that he’s going to be in the first three or four going into the first turn. I don’t think it’s going to hurt him.”

Stretch-running Lookin At Lee hasn’t started since finishing fourth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 5 at Santa Anita for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. He had been based this winter at Fair Grounds, but Asmussen, Oaklawn’s seven-time training champion, has another promising 3-year-old, Untrapped, ticketed for $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) there Feb. 25.

Lookin At Lee worked a half-mile in :50.20 Monday after arriving earlier this month at Oaklawn.

The Southwest offers 17 points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the $2 million Kentucky Derby (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Oaklawn’s series of Kentucky Derby preps continues with the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 18 and $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 15.