Cash Bonus rises in stature for Gazebo despite being idle
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Cash Bonus has seen his stock rise over the past six weeks without ever running a race, and by virtue of Suddenbreakingnews in his company lines, he could start as one of the top choices Saturday in the $100,000 Gazebo at Oaklawn Park.
Cash Bonus was a close second to Suddenbreakingnews in the $101,000 Clever Trevor last November at Remington Park. Since then, Suddenbreakingnews has won the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. Cash Bonus, meanwhile, has been working at Evangeline Downs Training Center in Carencro, La., for his first start since Jan. 9.
“He’s training very well, very forwardly into this race,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Cash Bonus for Carl Moore. “I think he’s a horse that needs to move forward numbers-wise, but with what Suddenbreakingnews has done there, it makes you feel a little more confident.”
Will Munnings will get good support in the Gazebo off an allowance win at Oaklawn for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81, the best last-race number in this eight-horse field.
Others set to start in the six-furlong Gazebo for 3-year-olds include Taylors Angiel, the winner of the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds, and Silver Doddge, who was second in a pair of Sam Houston stakes won by the eventual horse of the meet, Bravura.
The card Saturday also includes a rare two-turn appearance by Alsvid, the winner of last year’s Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn.
Gazebo, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Cash Bonus, by Corinthian
Last 3 Beyers: 61-68-73
◗ He enters the Gazebo off a fifth-place finish in the $75,000 Big Drama on Jan. 9 at Delta Downs. The seven-furlong race was run around two turns.
“I kind of drew a line through that race,” Calhoun said. “After that race, we freshened him a little bit. He’s a horse that came out of a 2-year-old sale, had a pretty strong 2-year-old campaign. We backed off him.”
◗ Cash Bonus has won 3 of 8 starts, including the $75,000 El Joven last October at Retama and an optional $75,000 claiming sprint in September at Remington.
◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount from post 5.
“I see him sitting off the pace,” said Calhoun.
Will Munnings, by Munnings
Last 3 Beyers: 81-52-79
◗ He fought for a head win in an allowance Feb. 28 and popped the career-high Beyer.
◗ Will Munnings was a maiden special weight winner at Ellis Park in his debut last August and went on to run fourth in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity.
◗ Jon Court has the mount for Xpress Thoroughbreds and Jinks Fires, the same team as the Arkansas Derby-bound Discreetness.
Purses get another boost
Oaklawn will increase purses for the third time this meet starting Thursday, when all overnight purses will be boosted by $1,000 a race, the track announced. Oaklawn also has kicked up the value of three of its stakes for 3-year-olds, the Bachelor, Instant Racing, and Northern Spur, to $150,000 each.
The increase will put the purse of maiden special weight races at $76,000, after starting the meet at $68,000. The purses for some allowances will now be worth more than $80,000, while the minimum offering for a $5,000 claiming race will be $23,500.
Field sizes at this meet have averaged 9.75, said David Longinotti, director of racing for Oaklawn. The track handled a meet-high $9.1 million on its Rebel Stakes card last Saturday.
The Bachelor, at six furlongs April 15, is getting a $50,000 boost from its original value of $100,000. The Instant Racing, for fillies at six furlongs, and the Northern Spur, for 3-year-olds at a mile, will each be increased by $25,000. The races are part of the Arkansas Derby Day card on closing day, April 16.
◗ There is no racing Sunday in observance of Easter.