Oaklawn Park: Plans pending for Louies Flower

Louies Flower, who won the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in December, finished an uncharacteristic 12th in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Monday. He was seeking his fourth straight win and came into the race packing the field’s best last-out Beyer Speed Figure, a 91.

“He came back good,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Louies Flower for Wesley Melcher. “It was kind of one of those races that nothing went right. He was over the top, too fresh. He was keyed up in the paddock. In hindsight, I wish I had run him in the Smarty Jones” in January.

Calhoun said he elected to await the Southwest for Louies Flower because of the long racing season ahead and the fact that the horse put up a strong Beyer in the Springboard. Calhoun has ruled out the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn on March 15 for the horse and said his next race is still being determined.

Louies Flower won a maiden race and a first-level optional claimer in his starts preceding the Springboard Mile.

◗ Sittin At the Bar, a multiple stakes winner based in Louisiana, will invade for Saturday’s $100,000 Spring Fever at Oaklawn. She is one of nine fillies and mares that were entered in the race Wednesday. Alex Birzer has the mount for trainer Brett Brinkman. The field also includes Beat the Blues and Boss Barney’s Babe.