Far Right has now won both of his Oaklawn Park matchups with Mr. Z – Sunday’s Southwest and last month’s Smarty Jones. But the rivalry, which has highlighted the local 3-year-old series, is unlikely to be renewed in next month’s Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes here.
Far From Over and El Kabeir, the top two finishers in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes on Feb. 7, both returned to the work tab Sunday as they train toward a possible rematch in the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 7.
Marcus Hersh ranks the top 3-year-old males and fillies pointing to races at Fair Grounds.
The winners of the major Kentucky Derby preps run over the weekend all came out of their races well and will continue to race at the same track.
David Grening ranks the top 3-year-old males and fillies pointing to races at Aqueduct.
Handicapper Brad Free ranks the top 3-year-old males and fillies pointing to races at Santa Anita.
Far Right is making his presence known on the road to the Arkansas Derby. He won his second straight stakes in Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds on Sunday, when he closed up the rail in the slop for a three-quarter-length win over The Truth Or Else in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest.
Lord Nelson, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 1, worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 on Sunday for an expected appearance in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 7.
Firing Line, second to Dortmund in the Los Alamitos Futurity in December and the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7, is being pointed for the $800,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico on March 22, trainer Simon Callaghan said.
He has yet to run in a stakes race or earn any qualifying points but Khozan continues to give every impression he’s a legitimate Kentucky Derby candidate after drawing off to a convincing 12 3/4-length victory over five totally overmatched allowance rivals in Sunday’s fifth race at Gulfstream Park.
