Octane pushing distance limits with Oaklawn Handicap

A brother act from Florida could invade Oaklawn for next month’s Racing Festival of the South.

Octane, a multiple stakes winner who shipped in to win the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback here Saturday, and Gatsby, his stakes-winning full brother, are being considered for some local races, said Brian Cohen, president of their breeder and owner, Arindel.

Octane is a candidate for the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 20 for trainer Juan Alvarado. He was a three-quarter-length winner of the Razorback over 1 1/16 miles and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. Octane would be racing beyond that distance for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap.

“I think we’ll tentatively plan for the Handicap,” Cohen said Tuesday. “He’s a small horse. He’s really unassuming. He’s just got a giant heart and a huge stride. I wonder what his distance limitations are.

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“He gallops like a horse that wants to run a mile, a mile and a sixteenth. The [Razorback] configuration, a mile and a sixteenth, two turns, that’s his sweet spot. I think a mile and an eighth is not out of his reach. He could be just a super miler, but he hasn’t had the opportunity to get a mile and an eighth.”

Octane and Gatsby are by Grade 3 winner Brethren, who is a half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

Cohen said the Oaklawn Handicap is appealing in part because of the time Octane will have between races. He said the horse emerged well from the Razorback.

“He’s on the farm, in Ocala, Fla., and will be there for another week,” Cohen said. “He’ll get some downtime to get over the trip, have a few easy days up there, be a horse for a week, then come to [Gulfstream Park].”

Gatsby will soon make his first start since winning an April 27 allowance sprint at Gulfstream. He will be considered for the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 13.

“He’s just coming back,” Cohen said. “It’s possible we’ll bring the two of them out. We’ll see.”

An alternate Count Fleet starter could be Turbo, another comebacking stakes winner by Brethren for Arindel.

“One step at a time,” said Cohen.

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