Oaklawn Barn Notes: Thursday, January 25, 2018

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Sporting Chance Exits Work Well; Remains on Target for Southwest

Grade 1 winner Sporting Chance emerged in good order from Monday’s bullet workout and remains a candidate to make his 3-year-old debut in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 19, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.

Breezing over a fast surface under David Cohen, Sporting Chance zipped 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 – best of 47 works recorded at the distance – with a final quarter-mile in :23.40 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:13.60, according to clockers.

“Very impressive,” Lukas said. “The thing that surprised me the most was the strength of the gallop out. If he had worked 1:13, I would have been impressed, too, let alone gallop out (1:13). It was really a nice work. Very pretty.”

Sporting Chance (knee chip) hasn’t started since winning the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 4 at Saratoga.

Monday’s work was the third at Oaklawn since Jan. 9 for Sporting Chance, a son of 2000 Horse of the Year Tiznow who was purchased for $575,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Lukas’ longtime clients, William Mack and Robert Baker.

Lukas has had the Southwest and $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 17 – Oaklawn’s second and third major Kentucky Derby preps – as landing spots for Sporting Chance’s 3-year-old debut. Both races are 1 1/16 miles.

“It’s still the target,” Lukas said of the Southwest. “We don’t have to commit, but it’s definitely on the radar screen for us. I would say after that work, we definitely moved a notch closer.”

Lukas said Sporting Chance will work again Monday or Tuesday.

Higher Power, winner of a split entry-level allowance/optional claimer at a mile Jan. 13, will “probably” work Friday or Saturday, trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said Thursday morning.

Higher Power, a half-brother to the Von Hemel-trained millionaire and 2012 Oaklawn Handicap winner Alternation by Medaglia d’Oro, is under consideration for the Southwest, the trainer said.

Bravazo, winner of the other half of the split entry-level allowance/optional claimer, is headed to the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds, Lukas said.

High North, who has been based this month at Fair Grounds, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest for trainer Brad Cox and owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs.

Ruby’s Debut

Lightly raced Red Ruby will make her 3-year-old debut in the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes, trainer Kellyn Gorder said Thursday morning.

The gray daughter of Tiznow, finished second in her Oct. 29 debut at Keeneland before breaking her maiden in her last start, the Nov. 25 “Stars of Tomorrow II” card at Churchill Downs. The 1-mile Martha Washington will be the third consecutive route race for Red Ruby, who races for Sandra Sexton and Brandi Nicholson.

“She’s still a little green, but she’s starting to mature, I think, there mentally,” Gorder said. “I just think she’s kind of pretty special.”

Cosmic Burst remains on schedule to make her 3-year-old debut in the Martha Washington, trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said Thursday morning. Cosmic Burst won the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park in her last start.

Amy’s Challenge galloped after the renovation break Thursday morning for trainer Mac Robertson, who is considering the Martha Washington for the unbeaten filly’s two-turn debut.

Amy’s Challenge won last Saturday’s $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes in her 3-year-old debut and first start against females. She was 2 for 2 against males last year at Canterbury Park.

A Dog’s Life

Trainer Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage has at least one victory during every Oaklawn meeting since 1982, his second season in Hot Springs.

Hartlage’s third scheduled chance to extend the streak comes with Perplexed in Friday’s fifth race, a sprint for older $8,000 claimers that have never won two races.

Hartlage was Oaklawn’s co-leading trainer in 1997 (26 victories) and is best known for his work with millionaire On Fire Baby, who won the $125,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) in 2012 and the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares in 2013.

“I would hope I win a race or two,” Hartlage said. “You never know. I’m in a rebuilding stage again. It is what it is.”

Hartlage, 71, no longer trains for longtime client Anita Cauley, who campaigned On Fire Baby and two other Oaklawn stakes winners, High Heels and French Kiss. All three horses are out of Cauley’s foundation mare, Ornate, a winner for Hartlage at the 2001 and 2002 Oaklawn meetings.

Perplexed, among seven horses under Hartlage’s care at Oaklawn, paid $232.50 in a maiden-claiming victory last July at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

“Just throwing stuff together trying to stay alive,” Hartlage said. “I’m not dead yet.”

Hartlage has 202 career victories at Oaklawn, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

The American Beauty

Nine older fillies and mares are entered in Saturday’s $125,000 American Beauty Stakes at 6 furlongs.

Probable post time for the American Beauty, the eighth of nine races, is 4:38 p.m. (Central). Gates open Saturday at 11 a.m., with first post 1:05 p.m.

The American Beauty field from the rail out: Summer House, Edwin Maldonado to ride, 117 pounds; Chanteline, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117; Thoughtless, Alex Canchari, 114; Okie Diva, Luis Quinonez, 117; Barbary Hall, Channing Hill, 122; Scotty’s Model, Luis Contreras, 122; Factory of Faith, Ramon Vazquez, 114; Sweet Halory, Fernando De La Cruz, 114; and Swing and Sway, David Cabrera, 114.

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Thursday morning. … Streamline is pointing for the $150,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares Feb. 17, trainer Brian Williamson said Thursday morning. Streamline, in her 2018 debut, finished third in the $125,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 13. … Multiple stakes-winning sprinter Recount worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 Thursday morning for trainer Jimmy DiVito. … Dazzling 2017 Oaklawn debut winner Our Majesty is scheduled to make her 4-year-old debut in Thursday’s eighth race, an entry-level allowance sprint for older fillies and mares. Unraced since May, Our Majesty was scheduled to make her 2018 debut last Thursday, but racing was canceled because of severe cold. Our Majesty, disqualified from a victory in last March’s $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn (interference early in the 6-furlong event), races for It’s All About The Girls LLC and trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. … Plans are pending for sharp Jan. 13 maiden special weights graduate Transgress, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning. A 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, Transgress covered 6 furlongs in 1:10.70 under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, the colt’s first start since finishing second in his June 15 debut at Churchill Downs because of shin issues, Lukas said. The June 15 winner, Free Drop Billy, returned to finish second to the Lukas-trained Sporting Chance in the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 4 at Saratoga before winning the $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) Oct. 7 at Keeneland.