Fear the Cowboy may get shot at Essex Handicap

Fear the Cowboy, the winner of last year’s Evangeline Downs Mile, will be considered for the $250,000 Essex Handicap on March 18 at Oaklawn, said trainer Efren Loza Jr. Loza said he is monitoring the potential field for the Essex, which shares a card with the Rebel and Azeri stakes.

Fear the Cowboy last raced Feb. 25, finishing second in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90. One start prior, Fear the Cowboy won an allowance at Delta Downs. Loza is wintering at Delta and has a string of horses in south Florida.

PC Cowboy drops out of graded stakes

P C Cowboy can flatter One Liner on Sunday when he returns to the overnight ranks for the eighth race, an optional $50,000 claimer for 3-year-olds at a mile.

P C Cowboy last raced Feb. 20, closing for eighth behind One Liner in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes. P C Cowboy was a maiden special weight winner at a mile at Oaklawn in January. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for trainer John Ortiz.

The chief threat could be Junket, who last year ran second in both the Victoria and Colin stakes at Woodbine.

Steel Cut may shorten in distance for Carousel

Trainer Wes Hawley said Steel Cut, the multiple stakes-winning Oklahoma-bred, is possible for the $150,000 Carousel on April 8 at Oaklawn. She would be cutting back to one turn for the race after finishing fifth in last month’s Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn. Steel Cut won the Oklahoma Classics Distaff in October at Remington Park and two races back was fourth in the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston. Steel Cut has registered the bulk of her wins at one turn. Overall, she is 12 for 30 with earnings of more than $400,000.