Oaklawn Park: Boji Moon returns to 3-year-old company in Gazebo
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Boji Moon and Brewing could vie for favoritism Saturday at Oaklawn Park in the $100,000 Gazebo, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds that drew a competitive group of 10. The field also includes Dunkin Bend, winner of the Grade 3 Sapling at Monmouth; Big Sugar Soda, third in the Grade 2 Futurity at Belmont Park; Kendall’s Boy, who returns to a distance over which he is perfect; and Guns Loaded, third in the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar.
“I think the race comes up very contentious top to bottom,” said D. Wayne Lukas, who trains Brewing.
“I think this is an extremely talented field,” said Chris Richard, trainer of Boji Moon.
Boji Moon is one of the most accomplished members of the field as a two-time stakes winner, both at sprint distances at Prairie Meadows and Kentucky Downs. He enters Saturday’s race off a 1 1/4-length win in a second-level allowance for 3-year-olds and older at Oaklawn on Feb. 1, which was Plan B for the horse after a 3-year-old sprint stakes did not fill at Fair Grounds.
“His last race was really, really good,” Richard said. “It’s very difficult for a 3-year-old to go against older horses that early in the year, and that was a very, very solid group of horses and he was able to just run a tremendous race. He sat right off of them, moved up with them turning for home, and was able to just inch clear down the lane.”
Richard, who trains Boji Moon for Brian Hall, River Ridge Ranch, and Leroy Gessman, said the decision was made to keep Boji Moon sprinting after two route starts last year, including a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington in December.
“Both times with the two turns he was right there turning for home and he just didn’t have that customary kick,” Richard said. “Maybe as he gets older he could develop into a two-turn horse, as he matures, but after his last race we made the decision to sprint. It wasn’t lost on us that he was 3 for 3 sprinting and he was 0 for 2 going around two turns.”
Terry Thompson has the mount.
Brewing was a stirring maiden special weight winner here Feb. 22. He set fractions of 21.54 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.89 for the half-mile in a six-furlong race before shuttling clear to win by 4 1/2 lengths. He covered the distance in 1:10.62.
“He showed really a lot of toughness, the early speed and everything, and that’s probably what he’s going to need Saturday, too,” Lukas said. “I liked his race. I thought it was a breakthrough, coming-out party for him a little bit.”
Jon Court has the mount for Zayat Stables.