Long Weekend cruises to comfortable win in Gazebo Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Joe Talamo is developing a reputation as an Oaklawn Park money rider, having won his sixth stakes race of the meet Saturday when Long Weekend accounted for the $90,000 Gazebo.

Talamo, who is in his first season at Oaklawn, has also won stakes this meet with Serengeti Empress, Whitmore, Shedaresthedevil, Night Ops and Ring Leader.

But on Saturday, the rider humbly rejected the label, quickly pointing to the quality of the mounts he’s been fortunate to be aboard. Long Weekend was a 4 3/4-length winner over Little Menance, while covering six furlongs for 3-year-olds in 1:09.77.

“I was impressed with him,” Talamo said of Long Weekend.

Long Weekend ($4.60) is trained by Tom Amoss, who is under self-quarantine, he announced on Twitter. Amoss said he spent time with New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton last weekend at Oaklawn and since then Payton said he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Amoss said he has no symptoms.

Long Weekend was winning his second straight race, entering off an allowance win Feb. 19 at Sam Houston for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. He led throughout and did the same here Saturday. Long Weekend ran the opening quarter in 22.24 seconds and the half-mile in 45.75 with the track rated fast.

Long Weekend earned $54,000 for the win to improve his record to 3 for 4 for earnings of $133,928. He is a son of Majesticperfection who races for B.C.W.T, Ltd. Long Weekend is out of the winning mare Liza Too, who is a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winners Paulassilverlining and Dads Cap.

Lykan finished third in the Gazebo, 3 1/2 lengths behind Little Menance.

Marvin and No Shirt No Shoes were both scratched. The horses are entered in the allowance feature Sunday at Oaklawn.

Handle on the 10-race card from all sources Saturday was $3.4 million, according to figures provided by Oaklawn. The track racing spectator-free ontrack due to the coronavirus pandemic that has restricted attendance at sporting and other events around the world.