Protege set for stalk-and-pounce trip in Friday allowance
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Protege might get an ideal setup Friday when he cuts back to one turn for the featured eighth race at Oaklawn Park. The first-level allowance is for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.
Protege could get a stalking trip behind Easy Action, Call Me Q, and Ryvit. The horses are part of a field of nine.
Easy Action exits a runner-up finish at this level in which he set the pace going 5 1/2 furlongs. Call Me Q led throughout when winning his maiden by double digits March 19 at Fair Grounds, and Ryvit wired his rivals when adding blinkers for a local maiden race March 25.
Protege is turning back from a pair of one-mile races at Oaklawn. He ran third in both of them, one against eventual Withers winner Hit Show. The start Friday will be Protege’s first since Feb. 4.
“We had a couple, I guess you could say, unfortunate trips in the route races,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “We kind of wanted to let him gather himself up. These connections are very good about not pushing the horse. We’re backing up, giving him a short race.
“He’s run one time short, albeit against maidens. They were good maidens, ended up being stakes-placed and stakes winners.”
Protege made his career debut Sept. 21 in a maiden special weight over six furlongs at Churchill. He stalked the leaders and went on to a 1 1/4-length win over eventual Jerome winner Lugan Knight. Protege covered the distance in a sharp 1:09.93 and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 82.
The son of Good Magic races for Harry Rosenblum, Bob LaPenta, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Protege was an $80,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training last May at the Midlantic auction put on by Fasig-Tipton.
“He was very efficient and fluid in movement,” Moquett said.
David Cabrera has the mount from post 9.
Easy Action, the 7-5 morning-line favorite, starts from post 5. He owns the field’s best last-race Beyer, a 91 for his March 23 effort at Oaklawn. Earlier in the meet, he was second to eventual Hot Springs Stakes winner Eyeing Clover in a maiden special weight Dec. 31. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for trainer Norm Casse.
Call Me Q earned a Beyer of 90 last out for his 11 3/4-length win over maiden rivals at Fair Grounds. He broke from the rail and will again start from the fence. The Iowa-bred is a son of Not This Time and the stakes-winning mare Des Moines.
Apple Blossom quartet for Saturday
The Racing Festival of the South continues Saturday with the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap, which drew four fillies and mares. The field for the 1 1/16-mile race from the rail with riders is: Secret Oath, Tyler Gaffalione; Hot and Sultry, David Cabrera; I Feel the Need, Chel-c Bailey; and Clairiere, Joel Rosario.
The Apple Blossom has been run with four horses one other time in its 59-year history, in 1990, when captured by Gorgeous. Last year, the race drew five and was won by Letruska.
The Apple Blossom goes as the 11th race on a 12-race card that includes the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.
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