B Dawk moves to two turns in Sir Barton Stakes
If not for Ethereal Road’s 11th-hour defection from the Kentucky Derby, the sporting world wouldn’t be acquainted with Rich Strike.
Two weeks after Rich Strike’s shocking upset, it might be Ethereal Road’s time when he starts in Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes for 3-year-olds traveling 1 1/16 miles at Pimlico.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas withdrew Ethereal Road from the Derby when he wasn’t completely satisfied with the colt’s training and plans to use the Sir Barton as a stepping-stone to the Belmont Stakes.
Second in the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn, Ethereal Road then finished seventh in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 9 before running fourth one week later in the Grade 3 Lexington.
B Dawk is campaigned by Philadelphia Eagles super-fan Joseph Besecker in partnership with minority owner West Point Thoroughbreds. The colt is named in honor of Brian Dawkins, a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety who played most of his career for Philadelphia.
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“The most he [Besecker] had spent was $150,000 and he just fell in love with this colt,” said Terry Finley, CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds. “I really liked the horse too, and I asked him afterwards to be partners.”
B Dawk sold for $425,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.
B Dawk raced four times in California for trainer Doug O’Neill before winning a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland by 11 1/4 lengths on April 24. That race was B Dawk’s first without blinkers.
“If there was a race that was indicative of a ‘light bulb’ moment, it was a race like that,” Finley added. “The concern is that he’s going to react [bounce]. If he doesn’t react, he should be bang-up.”
Beaten double-digit lengths in three New York stakes, Mr Jefferson just missed to stablemate Joe when second, beaten a head, in the Federico Tesio on April 16 at Laurel. Trainer Michael Trombetta believes that was Mr Jefferson’s breakthrough performance.
“He trained really good up to it,” Trombetta said of the Tesio. “He’s a horse that benefits from Lasix, and some of those races without it were probably taxing. We’ll see if he can put another one together, and it should put him in the mix.”
Like B Dawk, lightly raced Unikee stretches out around two turns for the first time.
“We always liked him,” trainer Terri Pompay said. “He’s a classy guy, but he was a heavier horse, so we didn’t really rush him. That’s why he didn’t start until he was 3.”
Pompay said Unikee was “green” when third in his debut Feb. 5. Unikee earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in his second start, a maiden special weight over a sloppy Gulfstream track on March 12.
The Unified colt then finished second in a first-level allowance with an $80,000 claiming option on April 23 at Keeneland.
Goldenize, Writeitontheice, Good Skate, Brooklyn Diamonds, and Ruggs also entered. Trainer Brittany Russell said Tuesday that The Addison Pour’s participation is questionable.
James W. Murphy
Ready to Purrform is familiar with Maryland racing, having won the Laurel Futurity last fall. He’ll make his seasonal debut as the likely favorite in the $100,000 James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds going a mile on turf.
Trained by Brad Cox, Ready to Purrform won his first two starts before finishing seventh in the Qatar Golden Mile at Del Mar on Breeders’ Cup weekend. Ready to Purrform races with Lasix for the first time Saturday. Cox won this race last year with T D Dance.
Joe and Shake Em Loose have combined for four stakes victories, but neither have won on turf. The former earned a spot into the Preakness by virtue of his Federico Tesio victory on April 16, but still needed to be nominated to the Triple Crown for a hefty supplemental fee.
“I think we would have taken a shot if our numbers indicated he was more of a major player,” Trombetta said. “The horse is getting better but hasn’t made that giant leap forward that he would need to run in a Grade 1.”
Trombetta was disappointed that rain forced him to abandon a planned turf workout but is hopeful that Joe will handle the surface.
Trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon was on the fence regarding Shake Em Loose and the Preakness but decided to enter the Murphy after a turf breeze in company with Can the Queen, a 6-year-old mare entered in Friday’s The Very One.
“He worked really good,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “The Preakness is going to be tough, and I don’t want to kill my horse’s heart.”
Riot House looks like a major player shipping up from Gulfstream after two victories. He has improved since stretching out and adding Lasix for trainer Danny Gargan.
Determined Kingdom, Local Motive, Uncaptured Spirit, Wow Whata Summer, Epic Luck, Crabs N Beer, and World of Fools also entered.