Last month’s Southwest Stakes was a tale of two trips. Tapiture, the winner, had a remarkably perfect one from his rail post, while runner-up Strong Mandate’s became more challenging with each passing furlong. The pair meet again Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel.
On the heels of Social Inclusion’s record-setting, 10-length allowance victory over Honor Code on Wednesday at Gulfstream Park, owner Ron Sanchez’s phone has been ringing off the hook with offers to buy all or a portion of the 3-year-old sensation.
The eyes of the racing world may have been on Honor Code going into Wednesday’s $75,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park, but it was Social Inclusion who stole the show, cruising to a 10-length victory while setting a track record for 1 1/16 miles.
If trainer Billy Gowan needs any Hall of Fame advice with Ride On Curlin, who runs Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, he just needs to walk a few paces up his shed row to the stable of Jack Van Berg.
Trainer Jose Garoffalo said Wildcat Red will work for the first time since capturing the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes almost three weeks earlier either Friday or Saturday morning, depending upon the weather.
Steve Asmussen, at 48, has been named a finalist for the Hall of Fame, but this week his attention is on the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, where he will send out Tapiture.
Turfway Park is expecting a full field of 12 3-year-olds for its marquee race, the Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral Stakes on March 22. Tamarando, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, looks like the probable favorite off his victory in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 15.
The $1 million Wood Memorial, New York’s final prep for the Kentucky Derby, will be shown on NBC Sports as part of a 90-minute broadcast that also will include the Santa Anita Derby.
Strong Mandate’s training for the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday has been designed to shake off the memory of the out-of-sorts trip he had when second in last month’s Southwest Stakes. He is one of eight horses that were entered in the Rebel when the race was drawn on Wednesday.
Vicar’s in Trouble will be returning to Fair Grounds for the Louisiana Derby on March 29, according to owner Ken Ramsey, after a foot ailment forced the horse’s connections to rule out the March 23 Sunland Park Derby.
