Ocala Training Center: Here's Johnny back on synthetic for OBS Championship

Wesley Ward is hoping that a return to a synthetic surface will get Here’s Johnny back to his winning ways.

Ward will ship the gelding from his south Florida base as one of the main players Tuesday in the colts and geldings division of the $100,000 OBS Championship, the anchor event on the annual “Day of Champions” at the Ocala Training Center in Ocala, Fla.

Here’s Johnny won over Polytrack last fall at Keeneland, and after running creditably in defeat in back-to-back turf stakes, he looks like the main threat in a field of 11 3-year-olds in the finale of a five-race program.

“He ran awfully big at Keeneland, so we’ve kind of had our eye on this Ocala race for quite a while,” Ward said.

The other prime attraction Tuesday at Ocala is the fillies division of the OBS Championship. Both $100,000 races go at 1 1/16 miles around a one-mile SafeTrack synthetic surface in use since 2007.

There is no wagering on the last three races of the day, including the two $100,000 events. However, because of stipulations having mostly to do with offseason simulcast licenses, there will be betting on the first two races – a Quarter Horse starter-allowance and the fillies division of the $50,000 OBS Sprint – although only onsite wagering will be offered.

This is believed to be the first time parimutuel wagering has been held on any of these races. All four Thoroughbred races are for 3-year-olds who went through the sales ring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.

There is no television coverage of the races, although live streaming video and other useful information and services are available on the website obssales.com.

The roster of horsemen participating Tuesday is quite impressive, as jockeys scheduled to ride include Javier Castellano, Kent Desormeaux, Julien Leparoux, Joe Bravo, Paco Lopez, and Joe Rocco Jr., while the trainers shipping in horses include Todd Pletcher, Christophe Clement, Graham Motion, and Ward.

In reverse order, a quick rundown of the top contenders in each Day of Champions event:

◗ $100,000 OBS Championship, colts and geldings division (race 5): Here’s Johnny, East Hall, Canzoni, Nowhere to Run.

◗ $100,000 OBS Championship, fillies division (race 4): Norquay, Babe’s Ruler, Naughty Holiday, Lady Doris.

◗ $50,000 OBS Sprint, colts and geldings division (race 3): Mighty Brown, Green Mask, Prudhoe Bay, Gryvon.

◗ $50,000 OBS Sprint, fillies division (race 2): Ruslana, Henny Jenney, Shanagarry, Epic Story.

◗ $10,000 Quarter Horse starter (race 1): Dashin Bye Slinky, Craig Judd, Hello My Boy, Im a Grand Believer.

Ocala has a modest grandstand, with results and race times posted on an infield board and television monitors. Calder announcer Bobby Neuman provides the race calls. Races are run every half-hour, starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. Several thousand fans, many of them locals, typically attend in a horse-dominated region where live racing is a rarity.

The OBS purses peaked in 2008 and 2009, when Darley helped sponsor five races worth a total of $425,000. In 2010, the program reverted to four races worth $300,000 after the sponsorship ran out. The series has had races won by such standouts as Forever Together, Traitor, Golden Bri, Meadow Monster, Plenty of Light, Valid Video, and Spring Venture.

The Ocala races traditionally had been held in mid-March but were shifted this year to precede the annual OBS winter mixed sale, which runs Wednesday through Friday. The under-tack show for horses of racing age was scheduled for Monday.