KENTUCKY OAKS ‘STILL AN OPTION’ FOR CLASSY ACT; PATRONA MARGARITA COULD RUN IN GRADE I ASHLAND

By Ryan Martin —-

Barn Notes: Wednesday March 28, 2018
• Kentucky Oaks ‘Still An Option’ For Classy Act; Patrona Margarita Could Run In Grade I Ashland
• Jockey, Trainer, Owners Titles Going Right Down To The Wire

KENTUCKY OAKS ‘STILL AN OPTION’ FOR CLASSY ACT; PATRONA MARGARITA COULD RUN IN GRADE I ASHLAND

Despite a fourth place finish in last Saturday’s Grade II TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, trainer Bret Calhoun has not put to rest any pursuit of the Gr. I $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4 with Classy Act. The daughter of Into Mischief is currently No. 10 on the Leaderboard with 30 points.

“There hasn’t been a big discussion about it yet,” Calhoun said. “I think that’s still an option if we have enough points to get in. If it is an option and we do have enough points then we could keep that window open. We’ve always thought that this filly would do maybe even better on the grass so she could potentially show up there. Another race that’s on our radar is the (Gr. II $200,000) Eight Belles (at Churchill Downs on May 4).”

Prior to the Fair Grounds Oaks, Classy Act was second behind Monomoy Girl in the Gr. II Rachel Alexandra Stakes where she acquired 20 points.

Meanwhile Calhoun stated that Patrona Margarita, who was scratched from the Fair Grounds Oaks, could make the Gr. I $500,000 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 7.

“It looks like she could be going to the Ashland,” Calhoun said. “We’ll either work her (Friday) or Saturday and I’ve been talking to the racing office at Keeneland regularly and it looks like she’s doing well. If everything keeps going this way then maybe we can make the Ashland.”

Owned by Craig Upham, the daughter of Special Rate is currently No. 14 on the Leaderboard with 15 points. She earned five with a fourth place finish in the Gr. II Rachel Alexandra Stakes and ten when taking Churchill Downs’ Gr. II Pocahontas Stakes in September.

JOCKEY, TRAINER, OWNERS TITLES GOING RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE

The titles for leading jockey, trainer and owner for the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ 2017-18 Winter Meet appear to be up for grabs with a remaining three racing days left on the calendar Entering Thursday’s action, 2009-10 leading rider Shaun Bridgmohan (65) leads newcomer Adam Beschizza (60) and two-time defending champ Florent Geroux (59).

Shaun Bridgmohan (65)

Thursday, March 29
Race 2: Bermuda Star (3-1); Race 3: Our Diamond (6-1); Race 4: Open Interest (20-1); Race 5: Native Wahoo (7-2); Race 6: Royal Road (5-1); Race 7: Killeen (3-1); Race 8: Tale of the Prince (5-1); Race 9: Julie’s Jackpot (12-1); Race 10: Stout Margaret (8-1)

Friday, March 30
Race 2: Unfading Beauty (7-2); Race 6: Vanquish (9-2); Race 9: Perfect Poet (7-2), Race 10: Charge The Line (3-1); Race 11: Anything But Amie (7-2)

Saturday, March 31
Race 3: Hello Tiz (10-1); Race 4: Uncommon Cat (5-1); Race 5: The Imposter (3-1); Race 6: Iquique (Fr.) (7-2); Race 7: Achiever (8-1); Race 8: Sea Vow (3-1); Race 10: Mageez (6-1); Race 11: Wild About Star (7-2)

Adam Beschizza (60)

Thursday, March 29
Race 3: Star Gaze (4-1), Race 6: Lunaris (12-1), Race 7: Flatexcel (10-1), Race 8: Stuck In Vegas (9-2e) or Tensas Talk (7-2e), Race 9: Midnight Candle (6-1 AE); Race 9: Findley Isle (2-1)

Friday, March 30
Race 1: Jane Ran A Double (2-1); Race 2: Shainko’s Secret (3-1); Race 5: Stuck In Vegas (3-1 MTO) and Saltee Stark (8-1); Race 6: Mischievous Dancer (9-2); Race 10: Titanium Belt (12-1); Race 11: Yella Wally Gator (10-1)

Saturday, March 31
Race 1: Cool Arrow (5-2); Race 2: Lady Soul (4-1); Race 3: Little Sarge (4-1); Race 4: Logan’s Reward (12-1); Race 5: Kid Creole (10-1); Race 6: Hard Headed Woman (9-2); Race 7: Move It Man (8-1); Race 8: Spring Value (7-2); Race 9: Sivindahl (6-1); Race 11: Molly Rules (8-1); Race 12: Gone Pecan (4-1)

Florent Geroux (59)

Thursday, March 29
Race 4: Strikingly Smart (4-1); Race 5: Pound of Hundreds (3-1); Race 7: Mrs Rocco (7-2); Race 8: United Patriot (9-5) and Whatelse Igot Todo (12-1); Race 9: Halifax (3-1)

Friday, March 30
Race 2: Tiz Cecille (9-2); Race 5: Social Cat (6-1); Race 7: Take The Count (7-2); Race 8: Is Too (7-2); Race 10: Zippy (8-1)

Saturday, March 31
Race 1: St. Louie Guy (8-5); Race 3: Le Pin (Ire) (8-5); Race 5: Vittorioso (7-2), Race 6: Timuquana Place (9-2), Race 9: Minister’s Strike (8-1); Race 10: Grande Basin (6-1); Race 11: Juno’s Starlet (8-1).

In the trainer’s race, Brad Cox is looking to defend his title with 50 victories on the meet over Joe Sharp who has 46.

Brad Cox (50 wins)

Thursday, March 29
Race 6: Bringyourownbottle (8-5) and Mrs. Rocco (7-2); Race 7 Kileen (3-1) and United Patriot (9-5)

Friday, March 30
Race 2: Tiz Cecile (9-2) and Ravish (4-1)

Saturday, March 31
Race 3: Hello Tiz (10-1) and Le Pin (Ire.) (8-5); Race 6: Timuquana Place (9-2) and Iquique (Fr.) (7-2)

Joe Sharp (46 wins)

Thursday, March 29
Race 6: Lunaris (12-1); Race 7 Flatexcel (6-1); Race 9 Findley Isle (2-1); Race 9 Midnight Candle (6-1, AE)

Friday, March 30
Race 1: Jane Ran A Double (2-1); Race 6: Mischievous Dancer (9-2)

Saturday, March 31 (Closing Day)
Race 1: Cool Arrow (5-2); Race 2: Lady Soul (4-1); Race 3: Little Sarge (4-1); Race 6: Hard Headed Woman (9-2); Race 7: Zero Gravity (8-1) and Move It Man (8-1); Race 9: Svindahl (6-1)

In the owner’s race, Maggi Moss, who last won a title at Fair Grounds in 2014-15, enters Thursday one win ahead of Midwest Thoroughbreds (12-11), but the latter does not have a horse entered the remainder of the meet. Both Brad Grady and End Zone Athletics are only two behind Moss and they each have five total horses entered the remaining three racing days. Klein Racing has nine wins, but no horses entered the rest of the way. With eight wins and five entries through closing day, Brittlyn Stables is still mathematically alive.

Maggi Moss (12):

Thursday March 29
Race 9: Halifax (3-1)

Saturday March 31 (Closing Day)
Race 1: St. Louie Guy (8-5)

Brad Grady (10):

Friday, March 30
Race 1: Jane Ran A Double (2-1); Race 6: Mischievous Dancer (Race 6, 9-2)

Saturday, March 31 (Closing Day):
Race 1: Cool Arrow (5-2); Race 2: Lady Soul (4-1); Race 7: Move It Man (8-1)

End Zone Athletics (10):

Thursday, March 29:
Race 4: Striking Femme (4-1)

Friday, March 30:
Race 5: A Place Remembered (6-1); Race 7: Channel Won (9-2)

Saturday, March 31:
Race 5: The Imposter (3-1); Race 8: Sea Vow (3-1)

Brittlyn Stables Inc. (8):

Thursday, March 29:
Race 3: Strikingly Smart (10-1) and Star Gaze (4-1)

Saturday, March 31:
Race 1: Forevamo (3-1); Race 11: Wild About Star (7-2)