Bishops Bay wires American Pharoah Stakes
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Bishops Bay got an easy lead and his first stakes win going wire to wire in the $145,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Even after controlling a slow tempo, Bishops Bay barely held at bay a homestretch surge from Bendoog to win by a neck. With Bendoog edging closer at the furlong grounds, Bishops Bay and jockey Flavien Prat drifted out and crossed in front of Bendoog, causing John Velazquez to steer left and try to rally up the inside.
Bendoog only briefly stutter-stepped as Bishops Bay came across his path, and after a long inquiry, Oaklawn stewards ruled Bishops Bay was clear and let the result stand.
Things were far less dramatic in the $139,200 Eclipse Overnight Stakes, which drew 10 entrants but went with four runners after a startling six scratches. Odds-on favorite Wendelssohn stalked the pace of Osbourne, took over before the homestretch, and rolled to an eight-length victory under Tyler Bacon.
Ninja Warrior got up for second over Osbourne with Durante a distant last after leaping into the air at the start and losing all chance. Chris Hartman trains Wendelssohn for Ruis Racing, and Wendelssohn, who paid $3, ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.59 and getting a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. Four-year-old Wendelssohn is by Mendelssohn out of Gangbusters, by Broken Vow.
Both races were restricted to older horses who hadn’t won a sweepstakes during 2024 and 2025, and despite not having even contested a stakes race over that time span, Bishops Bay went off the even-money favorite for trainer Brad Cox.
Bishops Bay didn’t race for the better part of 17 months, returning to action this past November and most recently winning a second-level Oaklawn allowance race on Jan. 25. Cox and the group of owners that campaigns Bishops Bay entered and scratched him from the New Orleans Classic on March 22, finding an easier spot to notch an important stakes victory with a horse who fetched $450,000 at a yearling sale.
I’m McDreamy, a speed horse, was scratched and pace rival Maycocks Bay failed to show his customary early pace, leaving Prat and Bishops Bay on an easy lead through soft fractions, 24.06 and 48.24. Nonetheless, Bishops Bay came under pressure in upper stretch, eventually drifting off his line but staying just clear of Bendoog, who had a chance to run down the pacesetter in the final half-furlong and could not.
Full Screen finished third, 3 1/2 lengths out of second, with the Cox-trained Liberal Arts hard held in last behind the slow tempo before finishing fastest for fourth. Bishops Bay ($4) was timed in 1:43.75 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track. Bishops Bay (96 Beyer Speed Figure) is by Uncle Mo out of Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile, and is owned by Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers, Martin Schwartz, Michael Dubb, and Ten Strike Racing.
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