Oaklawn Barn Notes: Talamo Enjoying Strong Oaklawn Meet

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Talamo Enjoying Strong Oaklawn Meet

So far, so good for jockey Joe Talamo.

After one-third of Oaklawn’s scheduled 57-day meeting, Talamo is tied for third in the standings with 13 victories and ranks second in purse earnings ($816,777). Talamo, 30, is riding regularly for the first time at Oaklawn after previously being based in Southern California, where he earned an Eclipse Award as the country’s outstanding apprentice in 2007.

“It’s gone really good,” Talamo said during training hours Sunday morning. “I couldn’t be happier with my meet. I’ve ridden some really good horses, riding for some really good outfits. Everything’s going good. I just keep working hard, plugging along and, hopefully, we can keep it going.”

Among the horses Talamo has ridden are Grade 1 winner Whitmore for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs, Grade 1 winner Knicks Go for trainer Brad Cox, Grade 2 winner Bravazo for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Grade 3 winner Lone Sailor for trainer Tom Amoss and Grade 3 winner Remembering Rita for trainer Doug Anderson of Hot Springs. Knicks Go, Lone Sailor and Remembering Rita – all victories – were in allowance races. Talamo also won the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies aboard unbeaten Ring Leader for trainer Mac Robertson.

Only defending champion David Cohen (110) and six-time Oaklawn leader Ricardo Santana Jr. (102) have had more mounts at the meet than Talamo (88). Cohen and Santana each have a meet-high 20 victories.

“There’s definitely a lot more horses here, a lot more opportunities,” Talamo said. “That was really one of the big factors of me coming here. It feels good just to ride a lot, win a lot. Like I said, hopefully, we can keep that going.”

Talamo is represented by agent Jake Romans, the son of trainer Dale Romans. Talamo said he plans to make Arkansas and Kentucky his year-round circuit.

A Big Win

The Big Beast has yet to be represented by a winner at the meet as a sire, but one of his future dates continues to flourish at Oaklawn against Arkansas-breds.

Heavily favored Bye Bye J remained perfect in three starts against state-breds in Saturday’s $125,000 Downthedustyroad Stakes, scoring by 1 ¼ lengths under Ricardo Santana Jr. in her 4-year-old debut and first start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Prominent Arkansas owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong privately purchased Bye Bye J following a runner-up finish in the $150,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) in February 2019 at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Uncaptured has feasted on Arkansas-bred company since being relocated to the Midwest, winning an allowance race by 8 ¼ lengths last March in her local debut and the $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes by 1 ¾ lengths in April. The Rainbow Miss is Oaklawn’s biggest prize for state-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Alex Lieblong said he purchased Bye Bye J with the intent of breeding her to The Big Beast upon retirement. The Lieblongs raced The Big Beast, who captured an allowance race in 2015 at Oaklawn, and stand their Grade 1 winner at Ocala Stud in Florida. The Lieblongs board their mares, approximately 13, at Ocala Stud and are heavily supporting The Big Beast, who was Florida’s second-leading first-crop sire last year.

“That was the whole plan from the start,” said Alex Lieblong, chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. “I thought putting her with The Big Beast might make a speedy horse. I hope it’s a while off.”

A perk, Lieblong said, was running Bye Bye J in the lucrative Arkansas-bred program at Oaklawn. Bye Bye J has already bankrolled $190,200 for her three Oaklawn victories.

“We thought we might be able to pick up a purse and that would help ease the pain just a little bit after purchasing her,” Lieblong said.

Bye Bye J ($3.20) was making her first start since finishing sixth behind future dual Eclipse Award winner Covfefe in the $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) May 17 at Pimlico. Lieblong said because Bye Bye J’s form was beginning to slide, it was decided to give her a lengthy break.

“The calendar was really working against us and she certainly wasn’t as tight as she could have been, Alex Lieblong said, noting Bye Bye J had only been in training for roughly eight weeks. “But the calendar is kind of unforgiving, so we had to go with what we had and hoped she had enough.”

Bye Bye J won for the fifth time in nine starts to push her career earnings to $298,105. In addition to the Rainbow Miss and Downthedustyroad, Bye Bye J owns a stakes victory in open company – $75,000 House Party – in December 2018 at Gulfstream Park.

“She’s a well-built filly,” Lieblong said. “She’s broadened out. She didn’t get a lot taller this year. But she’s like me, she’s spread out.”

Lieblong said next-race plans are pending for Bye Bye J.

The Lieblongs have several offspring of The Big Beast training at Oaklawn in preparation for their local debuts, including Big Affair, Classy Beast and Ms Big Spring – all fillies – with trainer David Fawkes and The Big Bluff, a colt, with trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs. Ms Big Spring, a homebred, is out of Spring Included, a multiple Oaklawn stakes winner for Hobby and the Lieblongs.

The Lieblongs were Oaklawn’s third-leading owners last year and have three victories at this year’s meet. Bye Bye J was bred by McDowell Farm.

Finish Lines

Nominations to the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies and the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters close Thursday. Both races are March 7. Among the projected starters for the Hot Springs are Share the Upside and Whitmore, 1-2, respectively, in the $125,000 King Cotton Stakes Feb. 8. Share the Upside worked a half-mile :52 Monday morning for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Whitmore worked a half-mile in :47.60 Sunday morning for co-owner/trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. Whitmore has won the Hot Springs the last three years. … Unbeaten La Renoleta worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.60 Monday morning for Asmussen. A 9 ¾-length allowance winner in her Feb. 8 American debut, La Renoleta is under consideration for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 14, co-owner Peter Bradley III said. … Luis Quinonez enters Thursday with 598 career Oaklawn victories, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. Quinonez, Oaklawn’s leading rider in 2007, is named on one horse Thursday and one horse Friday. … Post positions were to be drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older female sprinters.

Photo provided by Oaklawn Park