Oaklawn Barn Notes: Amoss’ Rebel and Azeri Horses Set to Arrive Monday

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Amoss’ Rebel and Azeri Horses Set to Arrive Monday

Unbeaten No Parole and Grade 1 winner Serengeti Empress are scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon at Oaklawn for their scheduled engagements in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) and the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2), respectively, trainer Tom Amoss said Friday morning.

Both No Parole and Serengeti Empress are based at Fair Grounds and will have their final works this weekend before heading north. Amoss said Serengeti Empress will breeze Saturday in advance of the 1 1/16-mile Azeri, the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 18. No Parole will breeze Sunday, Amoss said, for the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, the last major steppingstone to the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 11.

Serengeti Empress was among the country’s top 3-year-old fillies last year, a seven-race campaign highlighted by a victory in the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. Serengeti Empress finished second in her 2020 debut, the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 26 at Sam Houston.

No Parole, a Louisiana-bred son of Grade 1 winner Violence, will be making his first start in open company and outside Louisiana after winning his three races by a combined 34 lengths, including a 6 ½-length score the $100,000 Premier Night Prince Stakes Feb. 8 at Delta Downs in his last start. The 1-mile Premier Night Prince marked the two-turn debut for No Parole, who has led at every point of call in his brief career.

“As far as No Parole goes, it’s one of those races that he’s going from the minor leagues to the major leagues and I recognize that,” said Amoss, who was in Hot Springs to check on his Oaklawn division. “Although he’s been very dominant and his races have been good, this is a whole different ballgame.”

Amoss said Oaklawn-based Joe Talamo will have the mount on No Parole and Serengeti Empress. The Rebel and Azeri will share the March 14 card with the $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. The Essex is a major local prep for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18.

Nominations to all three races closed Thursday. The Rebel drew 85 nominees.

What’s in a Name?

Fans of the hit television sitcom “Frasier” may have a hunch play in the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters Saturday.

That’s because Wendell Fong, among six entrants in the Hot Springs, is named for a passing reference in a 2000 episode – “And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon” – said Jeremiah Englehart, who trains the Flat Out colt for Gold Square LLC (Al Gold).

“Al is probably my favorite namer of horses,” Englehart said. “Al remembered that name, so that’s how it came about.”

Wendell Fong has made a name for himself on the track, winning half of his six lifetime starts, including the $100,000 Gold Fever Stakes last May at Belmont Park. Wendell Fong will be making his first start since finishing 10th behind the freakishly fast Shancelot in the $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) July 28 at Saratoga. Englehart said minor physical issues shelved the colt the remainder of 2019.

“I would have liked to have run in a three-other-than (allowance), probably, first, but he’s been doing so well,” Englehart said. “I think he’s ready to run a big race. I think we have the work into him that we wanted to see so far. I think in this race, he’ll be OK.”

Wendell Fong has recorded two consecutive bullet workouts leading up to the Hot Springs – 5 furlongs out of the gate in :59.40 Feb. 23 and a half-mile in :46.00 Feb. 29. The colt’s last breeze was with stablemate Three Technique, who is scheduled to run in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 14.

Gold Square also co-owns Daphne Moon, a 3-year-old filly who has been training at Oaklawn for her 2020 debut. Daphne Moon was one of Frasier’s lead characters.

Million Dollar Men

Six-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. ($2,008,119) became the first rider to reach $2 million in purse earnings at the meet Thursday, the 24th day of the scheduled 57-day meeting. Santana broke his single-season record for purse earnings at last year’s 57-day meet ($4,317,757).

Joe Talamo ($1,017,383) became the third jockey to reach $1 million in purse earnings at the meet Thursday, following Santana and Martin Garcia ($1,010,595). Defending champion David Cohen ($966,974) was poised to reach seven figures entering Friday’s card.

Finish Lines

Two projected starters for the $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses worked over a fast track Friday morning in advance of the 1 1/16-mile race March 14. Millionaire Bravazo went 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 before the first surface renovation break for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Multiple stakes winner Pioneer Spirit breezed after the first break and went in 1:01.40 for trainer Robertino Diodoro. … Trainer Tom Amoss said Friday morning that millionaire Lone Sailor, a Jan. 31 allowance winner, will make his next start in the $400,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) for older horses March 21 at Fair Grounds. Amoss said Lone Sailor could return to Oaklawn for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18. Lone Sailor finished third in last year’s New Orleans Classic (then called the New Orleans Handicap) and second in the Oaklawn Handicap. … Lightly raced Long Weekend, a Feb. 19 allowance winner at Sam Houston, is pointing for the $125,000 Gazebo Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters March 21, Amoss said Friday morning. Long Weekend has won 2 of 3 career starts, suffering his only loss in the $200,000 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) last August at Saratoga. Long Weekend finished sixth in the 6 ½-furlong race. … Gazebo candidate Lykan worked a half-mile in :48.80 Friday morning for trainer Ingrid Mason. … Through Thursday, the 24th day of the scheduled 57-day meeting, 194 claims had totaled $3,757,750. Trainer John Sadler, on behalf of owner Kosta Hronis, claimed favored The Great Dansky ($4.80) out of a debut victory in the seventh race for a meet-high $75,000. The Great Dansky is a 3-year-old son of Majesticperfection. … Tap Softly had a colt by Maclean’s Music about two days after another one of her foals, Silver Prospector, won the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Feb. 17, according to breeders Steve and Brandi Nicholson (Silver Fern Farm). The Nicholsons, in partnership, bred Silver Prospector and said Tap Softly is going to 2019 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach. They also bred champion and 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire and his half-brother, Exclamation Point, who ran fourth in his 2020 debut in Sunday’s eighth race. The Nicholsons co-own Exclamation Point, runner-up in last year’s inaugural $250,000 Oaklawn Mile, with Staton Flurry of Hot Springs. … David Cohen, Oaklawn’s leading rider last year, will begin serving a five-day suspension March 12 for a 2019 riding infraction, his agent, Bill Castle, said Thursday afternoon. Castle said Cohen will also miss March 13, March 15, March 19 and March 20. The jockey plans to ride March 14 (designated stakes).