Contenders in Gazebo, Spring Fever have kept high-class company

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park puts on a stakes doubleheader Saturday with the $125,000 Spring Fever for fillies and mares and the $125,000 Gazebo for 3-year-olds, and some of the leading contenders boast formidable company lines.

Southern California invader Fantastic Style faced champion female sprinter Finest City in her start leading up to the Spring Fever, while Gazebo entrant Rockshaw recently ran against El Areeb. Balandeen, meanwhile, comes into the Gazebo off starts against McCraken and Gunnevera. El Areeb, McCraken, and Gunnevera are all among the top dozen Kentucky Derby prospects in Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch.

“I think the two horses Balandeen ran with in his last two races have been very serious horses,” said trainer Chris Hartman.

The Spring Fever, at 5 1/2 furlongs, drew eight, including Marquee Miss, who is seeking her third Oaklawn stakes win, and D R C’s Pretty Sky, who captured the $75,000 Zia Park Distaff in November.

Rockshaw could go favored in the six-furlong Gazebo. He was a sharp allowance winner at the meet in January, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 82 that he earned is the best in the eight-horse field. Others set to start include Aristocratic, a stablemate to Finest City who invades for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Gazebo, Race 7

KEY CONTENDERS

Balandeen, by Bernardini

Last 3 Beyers: 69-78-73

◗ He is launching his 3-year-old season with a number of bullet works over the Oaklawn surface. The Gazebo will be Balandeen’s first start since Nov. 19, when he ran fifth to Gunnevera in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot on a six-furlong track in Vinton, La. Gunnevera is scheduled to run Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Fountain of Youth.

“The Jackpot race, it had Gunnevera,” Hartman said. “That’s a really nice horse. I don’t think [Balandeen] had an affinity for that track. He was spinning out a little bit on the turns. He got stuck on the inside. The horse that won it won by six, and he’s an awful nice horse. It wasn’t our best performance, but I thought it was a respectable race for our horse.”

◗ Balandeen, who made his two-turn debut in the Jackpot, had run second to McCraken one start prior in the $83,000 Street Sense on Oct. 30 at Churchill Downs.

“That was a pretty good field of horses when he ran at Churchill,” Hartman said. “That group, there ended up being a couple of stakes winners coming out of that race.”

McCraken went on to win the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill and the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa. Guest Suite, who was third in the Street Sense, in January won the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds.

◗ Balandeen has registered both of his wins in sprints but will stretch out again in the near future.

“That’s definitely the game plan,” Hartman said. “This is our starting point.”

◗ Balandeen’s dam, Mamma Kimbo, was a Grade 2 winner at two turns at Oaklawn.

◗ Channing Hill has the mount from post 5.

Rockshaw, by Maclean’s Music

Last 3 Beyers: 82-70-68

◗ He has recency on Balandeen for his January allowance win at Oaklawn. He stalked and roared clear by 2 3/4 lengths, covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.20.

The start came one race after Rockshaw was fourth to El Areeb in the $100,000 James F. Lewis III in November at Laurel. El Areeb has since won the Grade 3 Jerome and Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct.

◗ Rockshaw will break from post 4 under Ricardo Santana Jr.

Spring Fever, Race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Fantastic Style, by Harlan’s Holiday

Last 3 Beyers: 87-57-75

◗ Santa Anita invader hooked champion Finest City last out in the Grade 2 Santa Monica and finished second to that one Jan. 21. That start came over seven furlongs, and Fantastic Style dueled through quick fractions before finishing 3 3/4 lengths back in the race, which went in a sharp 1:21.49.

◗ Fantastic Style has a chance to control the pace in the Spring Fever, or she could get a tracking trip off Her Love for Pappy, who set a quick pace last out when fourth in a first-level allowance sprint at Oaklawn.

◗ Luis Contreras, who recently moved his tack to Oaklawn from Santa Anita, has the mount from post 2.

Marquee Miss, by Cowboy Cal

Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-80

◗ The winner of last year’s Dixie Belle and Martha Washington at Oaklawn, she has tactical speed and could get an ideal tracking trip from post 3 off Fantastic Style and Her Love for Pappy.