Oscar Performance ends all worries with Woodbine Mile win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Uncertainty had surrounded Oscar Performance five weeks prior to his Saturday victory in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, when he was pulled up in the stretch and vanned off in the Arlington Million. But Oscar Performance took the Woodbine field gate to wire, and both assistant trainer Erin Lynch and jockey Jose Ortiz were emotional afterward.

“After Arlington, he gave us a really bad scare, so for him to come back and do this, it’s a big deal,” Lynch said.

Ortiz has been aboard for all 14 of Oscar Performance’s starts, including his win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita in November 2016.

“It’s very special,” Ortiz said of the Woodbine Mile victory. “I’m very emotional right now. He’s my favorite horse. He gave me my first Breeders’ Cup, I’m just happy he’s back.”

While the situation at the end of the Arlington Million initially appeared serious, trainer Brian Lynch said Oscar Performance was checked by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and was given the all-clear to resume racing.

“The good thing is that nothing ever came of it,” he said. “He was fine after the race. We went in and had a full physical on him and Dr. Bramlage gave him the okay and we put him back in training.”

Oscar Performance put in three breezes at Saratoga ahead of the Woodbine Mile, and Erin Lynch said the decision to ship to Woodbine was made following Oscar Performance’s four-furlong breeze in 48.72 seconds on Sept. 9.

“We literally made a decision the Monday before entries,” she said. “Brian put his last work into him and just made sure all systems were go and he was happy with him and decided let’s try – let’s give it a shot.”

Oscar Performance was scheduled to ship back to Saratoga on Sunday, and will now train up to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, which will be run at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. Oscar Performance earned a berth in the BC Mile with his victory in the Woodbine Mile.

“It’s nice to see him back, and it’s a Win and You’re In, and we’ve got six weeks to the Breeders’ Cup,” Brian Lynch said. “Now we can take a deep breath and do the best we can to have him right on that day.”