Lat Long big favorite off 95 Beyer
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lat Long, who earned one of the highest Beyer Speed Figures on last month’s Southwest Stakes Day card at Oaklawn Park, should start as a strong favorite in the featured ninth race Saturday.
The one-mile allowance is for 4-year-olds and up who have never won two races. It will be run at a mile and has a field of 10.
The bulk of the focus will be on Lat Long and the 95 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for running second in a first-level allowance Jan. 25. The winner, Baddest Good Boy, earned a 98 in what was the co-highest number from Southwest Day. He is entered in the Razorback Handicap on Sunday.
Lat Long’s Beyer is 14 to 51 points higher than each of the last-race Beyer Figures of his competition Saturday. He will break from post 9 under Julien Leparoux.
“He ran really good,” trainer Kenny McPeek said from Saudi Arabia, where he will saddle Rattle N Roll in the $20 million Saudi Cup. “This is a good spot for him, too, never won two. He’s a really nice horse, and this should be an ideal spot for him to get that condition.”
Lat Long is a son of Liam’s Map who ran third in last year’s Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds. The race he exits produced a next-out winner on Monday in Gewurztraminer, who parlayed a third-place finish into a first-level allowance win at Oaklawn. The effort was worth a Beyer of 85.
Lat Long races for Walking L Thoroughbreds.
Daily Grind was third at this level Feb. 3. He closed from off the pace against a wire-to-wire winner in Bedard. Daily Grind could get a better setup Saturday.
There are four runners in the field who will be stretching out to two turns, including stakes winner Gold Sweep and the promising Anthonian. There also are a couple horses returning from layoffs, as Gun Party makes his first start since June and Indy Magic has his first out since August.
I’m McDreamy is another who could show speed. He starts from the rail, one race after breaking last of all in a field of 11. I’m McDreamy won his maiden wire to wire in a mile race Dec. 7 at Turfway Park.
Daily Grind, who is backing up in distance from 1 1/8 miles, will start from post 2. Nik Juarez has the mount for BC Stables and trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Daily Grind is a son of Medaglia d’Oro and the Grade 3-winning mare Walk Close.
A contested pace would suit Lat Long, who could get a stalking trip.
◗ Oaklawn has adjusted its racing schedule this weekend due to a winter storm system that hit Tuesday. The track is opening its raceweek Saturday and has moved the Rebel Day card to Sunday. The track will race on Monday. First post for Sunday’s card will be a half-hour earlier than usual, at noon Central.
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