Go West sticking with what works in allowance dash
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Go West has won three of four starts this year and will look to add to his growing credentials Friday when he starts as the probable favorite in the featured ninth race at Oaklawn Park.
The two-other-than allowance is for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs and carries a claiming option of $75,000. The field of six includes Doctor Oscar, a stakes winner in his native Minnesota, and Ruggs, who could be sitting on a peak race in his third out since October.
Go West enters off a first-level allowance win April 1 at Oaklawn. He covered six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.67 and the Beyer Speed Figure of 92 he earned is the best last-race number in Friday’s field.
“He’s doing really well,” trainer Bret Calhoun said Tuesday from the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring auction. “I was hoping to get him back in there because he seems to run well there. I was concerned the race wouldn’t go, but luckily it did and we’ll go from there.”
Go West has had much go his way this year. He opened his season with back-to-back allowance sprint wins at Sam Houston Race Park, taking those races by a combined 11 lengths. Go West popped a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100 in the second of those wins.
Go West then made his way to Oaklawn – where last season he won his maiden around two turns – and ran second to Skelly in a first-level allowance sprint Feb. 25. Skelly would go on to win another local allowance before taking the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap with a meet-high Beyer Speed Figure of 105. Go West came back to win April 1.
Go West is a son of Street Sense and the stakes-winning Empire Maker mare Sushi Empire. He is owned by Collinsworth Thoroughbred Racing. Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 2.
“He’s pretty versatile,” Calhoun said. “He’s been stuck inside a couple of times and been able to get himself in the race.
“We just kind of let him do his thing. He seems he’s fast enough to get himself in the race, but doesn’t have to be there.”
Go West could get a tracking trip just off Full Authority, a fast horse who will start from the rail, and Doctor Oscar, who dueled and finished second to Skelly in a March allowance at Oaklawn.
Ruggs also could sit just off the pace from post 5. He was third in an April 1 allowance at Oaklawn won by Southern California shipper Straight No Chaser. Chipofftheoldblock, who finished fifth in that two-other-than allowance, won the $50,000 Highland Ice Stakes Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs with a Beyer Figure of 84.
◗ The 10-race card Friday includes a $60,000 starter allowance for 3-year-old at six furlongs. Cactus is cutting back to one turn off a third-place finish going a mile in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes and he’s unbeaten in his two starts at six furlongs. Arrieta has the mount for trainer Randy Morse.
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