Crupper gains Preakness berth with Bathhouse Row triumph
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Crupper earned a Preakness berth on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where he was prominent throughout for a half-length win over Chad Allan in the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes.
It was another neck back in third to Honey’s to Blame.
Crupper was one of two Triple Crown nominees in the field and will be considered for a start in the Preakness, said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains the son of Candy Ride and the late millionaire racemare She’s All In for her breeder, Robert Zoellner.
“It’s going to be fun to chew it up for the next week or so,” Von Hemel said after the race Saturday.
Von Hemel said Crupper will first need to be doing well at the time to be considered for the Preakness, and secondly, his connections will be taking a close look at the projected field.
It’s a decision that will likely be made over the next couple of weeks, said Von Hemel, who on Monday will ship Crupper to Churchill Downs.
Crupper ($15.60) raced with Thebabeslayer through fractions of 23.22 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.65 for the half-mile and 1:13.10 for six furlongs. Crupper continued on under Junior Alvarado, taking the field into the stretch and fighting to keep his advantage to the wire. Crupper covered the 1 1/8 miles on a track rated fast in 1:50.89.
“We’re just thrilled with what he did,” Von Hemel said. “We’re thankful to have him.”
Crupper has come to hand over the course of the meet, winning his maiden over 1 1/16 miles and running third in a local allowance at the same distance in his start prior to the Bathhouse Row.
*** Holly’s Holiday ($45.20) backed up a maiden win last out with a stakes victory Saturday in the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors for 3-year-old fillies at a mile. She covered the distance on a fast track in 1:38.19. Manny Esquivel was aboard for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Holly’s Holiday is a daughter of Maxfield and a half-sister to Velocity, who was a Grade 1 winner at 3. Holly’s Holiday races for 4 G Racing, Gregg Day and Steven Crain.
The Bathhouse Row and Valley of the Vapors were run on the undercard of the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap as part of the Racing Festival of the South.
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