Oaklawn Barn Notes: Rebel and Azeri Stakes Notes

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Friday, March 16, 2018

Zayat Stables Hoping to Follow a Familiar Path in Rebel Stakes

Justin Zayat said job requirements will keep him from attending the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn.

He’ll be watching, though.

That’s because Zayat’s family co-owns 3-2 program favorite Solomini, who will be making his 2018 debut in the 1 1/16-mile major Kentucky Derby prep race.

“It’s killing me, but hopefully I can make it for a race like the Arkansas Derby, if possible,” said Zayat, the family’s racing and stable manager.

Zayat Stables, LLC has already tasted success in the Rebel with American Pharoah, who began his 2015 campaign with a runaway victory in the race for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. American Pharoah followed that up with a romp in the Arkansas Derby, then became the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year.

To honor the most famous horse to ever race in Hot Springs, Oaklawn unveiled a bronze life-sized statue of American Pharoah at the newly redesigned entrance to the grandstand Jan. 11, a day before the 2018 meeting began. Zayat said Oaklawn-based Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who also trains for his family, raves about the statue.

“I’ve heard it’s unbelievable,” Zayat said. “Coach tells me all the time that it’s beautiful. I will see it one day.”

Baffert trains Solomini, a son of 2007 Rebel and Arkansas Derby winner Curlin.

Among the country’s most accomplished 2-year-olds last year, Solomini will be making his first start since being disqualified from a victory in the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) Dec. 9 at Los Alamitos for interference in the stretch. He also finished second in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 4 at Del Mar and second in the $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (G1) Sept. 30 at Santa Anita.

Zayat said Solomini, named for his 16-month old nephew Solomon, is the family’s best Kentucky Derby prospect since American Pharoah.

“We’ve had some nice success at Oaklawn over the years with Bodemeister and American Pharoah,” Zayat said. “Oaklawn always holds a special place in our hearts.”

The Baffert-trained Bodemeister was a runaway winner of the 2012 Arkansas Derby before finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

Pletcher Looking For Another Big Rebel Day

A year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher won the Rebel Stakes (G2) with Malagacy and was third in the Essex Handicap with Madefromlucky. This season he is represented in those Saturday races by Robert and Lawana Low’s Magnum Moon and WinStar Farm and partners’ Hedge Fund. Both horses have been training at Palm Beach Downs training facility in Delray Beach, Florida and were flown to Oaklawn Park Tuesday.

Magnum Moon will be trying stakes company for the first time in the $900,000 Rebel at 1 1/16 miles.
Unraced at two, the son of Malibu Moon is undefeated in two starts. After winning his career debut in a six-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream Park Jan. 13, Magnum Moon won an allowance race at one mile and 40 yards at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 15.

“The timing was good for him after his two races in Florida,” said Pletcher, who has won the Kentucky Derby (G1) twice, including last year with Always Dreaming. “He has been training well enough and running well enough to deserve a chance in a race like this. He had a little bit of time off during the summer. He is a talented colt who showed us a lot of potential (early). We felt that he would benefit from the extra time and January is when he was ready (for his debut).”

Magnum Moon has his final workout for the Rebel at Palm Beach Downs where he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.79 March 10.

“He has been training very well,” Pletcher said. “He has always been a good work horse.”

The Lows purchased Magnum Moon for $380,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington, Ky.

A year ago Hedge Fund ranked among the best three-year-olds in the nation, but went to the sidelines following his off-the-board performance in the LARC Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico Race Course May 20. He returned to action Feb. 11 with an allowance race victory at Gulfstream Park.

“He tailed off a little bit in the Sir Barton so we sent him to WinStar Farm to freshen him up and he came back and trained very well,” Pletcher said.

WinStar Farm—also the colt’s breeder—maintains a large training and rehabilitation operation in Versailles, Ky. across the road from their flagship stallion station which is home to 2012 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Bodemeister. In addition to WinStar, Hedge Fund campaigns for Head of Plains Partners, China Horse Club and SF Racing.
Hedge Fund’s 2017 record includes his third-place finish in the Sunland Derby (G3) in New Mexico and a runner-up performance in the Illinois Derby (G3) at Hawthorne Race Course near Chicago.

No Joke

Owner Alex Lieblong said Friday morning that he’s leaning toward starting Pryor in Saturday’s $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) over a first-level allowance/optional claimer Sunday.

“If it was a walkover, I’d go in the other one,” said Lieblong, chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. “But I don’t consider it just a walkover. There’s some good horses in that race.”

Pryor, who is cross entered, was a front-running 5 ¾-length winner of his last start, a Feb. 19 maiden special weights events at a mile.

A son of Paynter, Pryor showed little in two starts sprinting last fall at Churchill Downs, but he has flourished since moving to two turns this year. In his 3-year-old debut, Pryor was beaten a length in a Jan. 21 maiden special weights race at a mile.

“That’s what he’s bred for,” Lieblong said. “We usually try to buy something that will go two turns and a lot of times find out they don’t want to go two turns. But every once in a while, you find a sprinter that wants to keep going. And he’s handled everything. Some horses get rattled, but mentally he’s pretty tough.”

A $200,000 OBS March 2-year-old in training purchase, Pryor is named for the late comedian Richard Pryor. Pryor’s dam? Grade 1 winner Awesome Humor.

Raise You Glass

Actress, one of the entrants in Saturday’s $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares at Oaklawn, is by super sire Tapit. Another scheduled starter, Terra Promessa, is by the mighty Curlin. Argentine star Blue Prize is set to make her Oaklawn debut in the Azeri.

Then there’s Martini Glass, claimed out of her February 2016 career debut victory at Tampa Bay Downs for $16,000 by owner/trainer Keith Nations.

A little more than two years later, Martini Glass is a multiple stakes winner of $653,675 and bidding for her biggest score to date in the Azeri.

“It’s definitely hard to duplicate,” Nations said. “We try all the time. We’ve had some success in the claiming game, but never to this degree. Sometimes you catch, like I say, lightning in a bottle and we did with this filly.”

Martini Glass is coming off a dirt victory in her last start, the $200,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) Feb. 19 at Gulfstream Park. She also finished second to champion Songbird in last year’s $750,000 Delaware Handicap (G1) at Delaware Park and second in the $500,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) last year at Keeneland.

“Obviously, we’re very fortunate to have her,” Nations said.

Cox Has Three for Saturday’s Supporting Stakes

Brad Cox, who annually ranks among the nation’s top ten trainers in both earnings and victories, has three horses entered in Saturday’s supporting stakes—the $350,000 Azeri Stakes and $300,000 Essex Handicap. He is also represented by High North in the featured $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2).

Cox will saddle John Gunther’s homebred Tiger Moth in the Azeri. Mares with her pedigree and talent often are retired to the breeding ranks at her age, but the six-year-old daughter of Street Sense is in optimum condition to continue racing.

“Right now, she is going to stay on the track,” Cox said. “She is in good form so we are going to continue on and try to increase her value.”

The reason for racing Tiger Moth is twofold. In addition to earning money through purses, her residual value as a broodmare will be enhanced as her record improves. She won the Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 28 to up her resume to six wins in 22 starts and a $642,107 bankroll. She was third in the 2017 Azeri.

“With her (come-from-behind) running style, she needs things to set up for her so hopefully that will happen,” Cox said.

Steve Landers Racing’s Dazzling Gem and Leofric are entered in the Essex. Cox noted that the runners have a definite affinity for the track. The former was an allowance winner and Leofric was runner-up in the Razorback Handicap (G3) in their most recent starts at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 19.

Landers purchased Dazzling Gem—a son of 2011 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) runner-up Misremembered—for $95,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington, Ky. Leofric was a $100,000 purchase at the 2016 Keeneland November mixed sale when he was winless in his first three starts. In his first start for Landers, Leofric won a 2017 Oaklawn maiden race.