C J’s Awesome preps for Alysheba in Friday feature

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – C J’s Awesome could set himself up for a start in next month’s Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs if he fires a strong race Friday in the featured eighth at Oaklawn Park. He will vie for favoritism in the optional $40,000 claiming route that carries second-level allowance conditions. The race is at 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba, which will be run on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 1.

“We were thinking of running him back in the Alysheba,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “Obviously, it depends on how well he runs.”

C J’s Awesome will face eight other older horses, including Paganol, a powerful allowance winner last out for the red-hot barn of trainer Chris Hartman, and Purple Sky, who was second at this level last out in a race won by Oaklawn Handicap nominee Street Strategy.

Key contenders

C J’s Awesome (Last 3 Beyers: 93-87-87)

* He was second to the Grade 3 winner Den’s Legacy in a second-level allowance March 18 at Oaklawn in his most recent out.

“It was an excellent race,” McPeek said. “The winner got loose on the lead, but my horse kept coming back. I was pleased with the race. It was a good, solid race.”

* The start came at a mile, and C J’s Awesome figures to benefit from the added real estate he picks up since his wins have come at 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 miles.

* C J’s Awesome, who races for Carl Gessler and Dan Wiginton, has some nice stakes experience on his résumé. He opened his 4-year-old season in February with a third-place finish in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston, and last year, he was fourth in both the Pennsylvania Derby and Indiana Derby.

* Chris Landeros has the mount from post 7.

“He can lay on or off [the pace], either/or,” McPeek said. “I’m going to leave that up to Chris. Either way, he’s pretty rateable.”

Paganol (Last 3 Beyers: 93-65-77)

* He was an 8 3/4-length winner of a first-level allowance at this distance March 15 at Oaklawn.

* Paganol broke from post 10 and set the pace over a laboring kind of track for his first win at two turns.

* Hartman, who won four races last Saturday at Oaklawn, has given the mount to Israel Ocampo.