Newgrange completes successful business trip with Southwest Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The unbeaten Newgrange completed a successful business trip Saturday by winning the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
The Southern California-based runner also found some time to do a bit of sightseeing, trainer Bob Baffert joked Sunday.
“He took the shipping well,” Baffert said. “He took Fed-Ex to Memphis. He went to Graceland, paid his respects to Elvis, then vanned down."
Upon his arrival at Oaklawn, Newgrange delivered as the favorite in the Southwest. He stalked the pace in third under jockey John Velazquez, as Kavod took the field through six furlongs in 1:12.42. Newgrange advanced on the final turn, and dug in through the stretch to get past the leaders.
Newgrange won by 1 1/2 lengths over Barber Road. He covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.83, on a fast surface some local horsemen called “cuppy” during a windy afternoon in the 50s that followed freezing temperatures overnight.
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"I liked his race," Baffert said Sunday. "It seemed like he struggled with the track early, but Johnny sat. Everything was coming off the pace. He waited to ask him to go, shook him up a little bit, and he took off.”
Newgrange is now 3 for 3, with his other stakes victory coming in the Grade 3 Sham on Jan. 1 at Santa Anita. He started his career with a maiden special weight sprint victory at Del Mar. For his win in the Southwest, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
The Southwest offered Kentucky Derby points to the first four finishers, but the 10 that would normally go to the winner were forfeited because Newgrange was ineligible to collect them as Churchill Downs is not accepting Kentucky Derby entries form Baffert for 2022. Barber Road earned 4 points for second in the Southwest, while third-place finisher Ben Diesel picked up 2 and Kavod, who was fourth, earned 1.
Newgrange is a son of Violence who races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, and Siena Farm.
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Baffert said Newgrange was to return to California on Tuesday.
But this time, no detours to the historic home of the King of Rock and Roll. The horse will head straight home with his first-place check of $450,000.
Barber Road emerged from his runner-up finish in “great shape,” trainer John Ortiz said Sunday. Earlier this month, he ran second in the $250,000 Smarty Jones, the first of the points races at Oaklawn.
Barber Road closed from next to last Saturday after breaking from post 11. He had a wide trip, noted Ortiz.
“I think the horse ran a winning effort, once again proving that he belongs with this field, with this class,” Ortiz said. “Baffert might have won the purse money, but I think we ran a winning race.”
Ortiz said Barber Road will now target the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn.
Barber Road has 8 points toward the Kentucky Derby and ranks 13th on the latest leaderboard put out by Churchill Downs.
Dash Attack, who won the Smarty Jones, finished fifth in the Southwest. He was the second choice to Newgrange, and like that one had won both of his career starts heading into the Southwest.
“He came back fine,” trainer Kenny McPeek said Sunday. “I think he seemed to get tired, like he got a little winded coming out of the race. He seems to be fine today. We’ll point him to the Rebel, regroup and try again.”
The Southwest was the first time Dash Attack had run on a fast surface, as his wins came over wet tracks at Oaklawn.
“He seemed to handle it,” McPeek said. “The pace of the race was a little different than some of the other ones he’s been in. We’re disappointed, but we’ll regroup and try him one more time … maybe we’ll get a sloppy track!”
Dash Attack has 10 points for the Kentucky Derby, and is ninth on the leaderboard from Churchill.
Ben Diesel looked good after his third-place finish in the Southwest, trainer Dallas Stewart said Monday, adding he is looking forward to more distance for the horse.
“The further the better,” he said.
Stewart said the Rebel will be a consideration for Ben Diesel. The horse has 3 points for the Kentucky Derby.
Kavod emerged from his fourth-place finish in the Southwest in good order, but trainer Chris Hartman said Sunday he is not sure if the horse will proceed to another Kentucky Derby points race like the Rebel.
Kavod won the $150,000 Advent Stakes over six furlongs Dec. 3 at Oaklawn, then ran fourth in the Smarty Jones and set the pace to the late stages in the Southwest.
“He keeps running good, but not good enough,” Hartman said. “He’s in good spirits. He came out of the race wonderful.
“I’ll evaluate him. I’m still wanting to cut him back, but I don’t know. I’ll play it day to day. The distances are just going to get farther from here. He did almost everything right in the race. He just doesn’t seem to be able to get the distance.”
Hartman said he will cover all of his bases by nominating the horse to the Rebel. Kavod has two points for the Kentucky Derby.
“I want a horse to take me to the Derby,” Hartman said. “I don’t want to drag him to the Derby.”
Kavod was a $50,000 claim prior to winning the Advent. Hartman’s first thought was he was claiming a sprinter, but upon looking further into the horse’s pedigree, the decision was made to give Kavod a shot at the Smarty Jones.
“I hope he turns into a good whatever he’s going to be,” Hartman said, musing the horse might like a one-turn mile. “We’ve already had a lot of fun. We’ve gotten way more than our $50,000’s worth already on the fun factor. Hopefully, he keeps bringing it on.”
There was an estimated ontrack crowd of 27,000 on Saturday at Oaklawn. The track reported handle on the 11-race card from all sources topped $11.7 million. The Southwest was showcased on a card that included the Martha Washington, won by Secret Oath, and the King Cotton, captured by Bob’s Edge.
Secret Oath earned 10 points for the Kentucky Oaks. She won the Martha Washington with a Beyer Speed Figure of 88, after covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.21.
Racing resumes Friday.
- additional reporting by Jay Privman