Home Brew gains Preakness berth with Oaklawn Stakes triumph

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Home Brew picked up a Preakness berth Saturday when he shuttled to a 1 3/4-length win over pacesetter Kuchar in the $150,000 Oaklawn Stakes.

It was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third to Happy Boy Rocket.

The Oaklawn Stakes was one of three stakes on the card, as part of the Racing Festival of the South.

Jose Ortiz won the first of the races, when he guided Letruska to victory in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap. The second offering was the Oaklawn Stakes, in which he was aboard Home Brew and later on the card was to ride co-highweight Fearless in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap.

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Home Brew ($4.80) settled in fourth in the early stages as Kuchar set fractions of 23.74 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.10 for the half-mile and 1:12.04 for six furlongs. The winner moved to the fore three wide coming to the quarter pole, took the lead soon after, and went on to cover the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.63 and earning an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He was coming little by little to the leaders and approaching the quarter pole. I knew I was full of run,” Ortiz told publicity at Oaklawn.

Home Brew was winning his first stakes in the Oaklawn. He has now won 3 of 5 starts and earned $203,625. Home Brew is a homebred son of Street Sense for Gary and Mary West and is trained by Brad Cox.

The berth was made available to the Oaklawn winner provided the horse is nominated to the Triple Crown. Home Brew is nominated to the Triple Crown.