Oaklawn Barn Notes: Wells Bayou Works toward Possible Arkansas Derby Start

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Wells Bayou Works toward Possible Arkansas Derby Start

Wells Bayou returned to the work tab for the first time since winning the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) March 21 at Fair Grounds, covering a half-mile in :49.80 Monday morning at Oaklawn. The track was rated good.

Under normal circumstances, Wells Bayou would make his next start in the Kentucky Derby, traditionally run the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. The 1 ¼-mile race, however, has been moved to Sept. 5 due to the Covid-19 crisis. A new date for the Preakness, the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown, has yet to be announced.

That uncertainly has the connections of Wells Bayou, including trainer Brad Cox, considering a start in the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1), Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race, now scheduled for May 2.

“We’d love to win the Arkansas Derby,” co-owner Lance Gasaway said after watching Wells Bayou train Saturday morning. “Everything now is all based on what they do with the Preakness. We have no idea. We just don’t know. And, we want him here. Trust me, we want to run here in Arkansas. We love it here. But, it’s like Brad always says: ‘You want to do what’s best for the horse.’ That’s what we’ve got to look at.”

Gasaway and his father Clint, both Arkansas natives, are majority owners of Wells Bayou, who secured a spot in the Kentucky Derby with a front-running 1 ½-length victory in the Louisiana Derby.

Liz Crow (BSW Bloodstock) selected Wells Bayou for the Gasaways, then brokered a deal before the Louisiana Derby to bring in BSW clients Sol Kumin (Madaket Stables) and Marc Lore (Wonder Stables) as partners in the rapidly developing Triple Crown hopeful.

Crow said the Arkansas Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race originally scheduled to be run Saturday, is now in play.

“I think it’s on the table, for sure,” Crow said. “Everybody’s in agreement that it’s completely Brad’s decision. If he wants to run there, then we’ll run there. If he doesn’t, then we’ll wait.”

The problem, Crow said, is what to wait for.

“I think that’s Brad’s point, too,” Crow said. “We really don’t know what’s going to happen with Churchill. They haven’t made an announcement of when they’re going to open their meet. Do you sit and wait for something? What’s going to happen with the Preakness? You don’t know what’s going to happen with any of these races. It’s crazy.”

Wells Bayou had been based at Oaklawn before the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby, winning a first-level allowance race Jan. 26 (his two-turn debut and first start without blinkers), then finishing a game second in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 17. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest, Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby points races, marked the stakes debut for Wells Bayou, a son of champion Lookin At Lucky.

“I think Brad had always thought this horse had some talent,” Crow said. “I think from Day 1, he liked what he saw from him. Just saw an immature horse that needed to grow up, but kind of thought he had some talent. We weren’t surprised by his performance in the Southwest, but it was nice to see him step up to that class level and actually deliver that kind of performance.”

Purchased for $105,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-year-old in training sale, Wells Bayou has a 3-1-0 record from five lifetime starts and earnings of $845,293.

Wells Bayou tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 104 points, including 100 for his Louisiana Derby victory. He also earned four points for his runner-up finish in the Southwest.

Like the Louisiana Derby, the Arkansas Derby offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. It is the country’s final scheduled Kentucky Derby points race this year.

Hill Climbing

It’s been a slow meet for jockey Channing Hill, with top mounts like multiple Arkansas-bred stakes winner Hoonani Road losing a step and stakes-placed sprinter Manny Wah winless in two starts. Both horses are trained by Hill’s father-in-law, Wayne Catalano.

But, Hill scored a riding double last Saturday, highlighted by a 1 ¾-length triumph aboard multiple grass stakes winner Kimari in the $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters. The Purple Martin was unexpected since Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was originally scheduled to ride Kimari for trainer Wesley Ward.

“It was nice,” Hill said moments after riding Kimari for the first time. “I’m glad Mike didn’t get on the plane.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez rode Kimari in 4 of 5 starts last year, including a 15-length career debut victory over males at Keeneland, a victory in the $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes Aug. 14 at Saratoga and a fourth-place finish against males in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Smith was aboard Kimari for her half-length victory in the $200,000 Indian Summer Stakes Oct. 6 at Keeneland.

“I didn’t know anything about her, except for watching her run last year and seeing how impressive she was,” Hill said. “When I watched the Breeders’ Cup race again, just in preparation to ride her today, it really struck me how good she actually ran. Obviously, that race at Keeneland was freaky, that first race against the boys. It was really impressive.”

Hill said he learned Saturday morning that he would ride Kimari in the Purple Martin.

“I had a lot people help me got on this horse, so I appreciate it very much,” Hill said.

Ward said he was comfortable tapping Hill, adding “he’s a really good rider.” Hill also rode Hail to the Chief for Ward in Saturday’s eighth race and Kimari represented their third career victory together, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

“He’s helped me a lot in the past, in the mornings, and ridden some winners for me as well,” Ward said. “Really, really good, solid kid, so I was real confident about him. But his father-in-law, Wayne Catalano, is a great friend of mine. When the father-in-law heard Mike wasn’t coming in, he was the first one on the phone, before any other agent. I called him earlier in the day and I said, ‘Look, win, lose or draw, I tell you what, you’ve got a career when you retire from training because you would be a hell of a jockey’s agent.’ ”

The Purple Martin represented Hill’s 125th career Oaklawn victory and 15th stakes score. Two of the stakes victories have been aboard Hoonani Road.

Kimari was Ward’s seventh career Oaklawn starter and first winner. Ward said following Kimari’s first career dirt stakes victory that her year-end objective is to face males in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) in November at Keeneland. Kimari is based at Keeneland.

Finish Lines

Millionaire Grade 1 winner Come Dancing worked 6 furlongs in 1:12.60 Tuesday morning in advance of the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 18. Come Dancing, a recent arrival for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, breezed over a muddy track. Two other scheduled Apple Blossom starters, Serengeti Empress and Go Google Yourself, worked last Saturday at Fair Grounds. Millionaire Grade 1 winner Serengeti Empress posted a half-mile bullet (:47.40) for trainer Tom Amoss, her second breeze since winning the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 14. The Azeri is the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom. Multiple stakes winner Go Google Yourself worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer Paul McGee. Go Google Yourself hasn’t started since winning the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 17, another major local prep for the Apple Blossom. … Azeri fourth Street Band worked 5 furlongs in :59.80 Monday morning for trainer Larry Jones in advance of the Apple Blossom. … Pirate’s Punch, a sharp five-length allowance winner last Friday, will be pointed for the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses May 2, trainer Grant Forster said Tuesday afternoon. Pirate’s Punch, who ran the fastest 1 1/16 miles of the meeting (1:42.48), returned to his Fair Grounds base Tuesday morning, Forster said. … Scheduled Oaklawn Handicap starter Warrior’s Charge worked a half-mile in :48 Monday for trainer Brad Cox. Warrior’s Charge won the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 17, a major local prep for the Oaklawn Handicap, in his last start. … Inshannity, one of two horses flown to Arkansas last Friday for Southern California-based Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, is scheduled to make her career debut in Friday’s 10th race, a maiden special weights sprint for fillies and mares. Inshannity is by 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper and the first foal out of stakes-placed Do Somethin. Baffert also sent another maiden, Ragtime Blues, a 3-year-old Union Rags colt who finished second in his only career start, Sept. 21 at Los Alamitos. … Through Sunday, Day 43 of the scheduled 57-day meeting, 290 claims had totaled $5,411,750.