Proxy, Last Samurai, Stilleto Boy could meet again in Stephen Foster
?q=100)
HOT SPRINGS, Ark – Proxy, Last Samurai and Stilleto Boy, who were separated by about a head when finishing a respective first through third in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday, could all meet again at Churchill Downs.
The connections of all three horses said Sunday that the Grade 1, $1 million Stephen Foster at 1 1/8 miles July 1 is a logical target. It’s a 'Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Proxy won the Oaklawn Handicap by a head and for covering 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.68 he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103. Trainer Michael Stidham said Sunday he was pleased with how the horse emerged from his victory. Proxy is to ship to Keeneland and in about a week will continue on to his base of Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.
“It looks like he came out of the race in good shape,” Stidham said. “He looked great, ate up, is alert.
“The most likely next race would be the Stephen Foster, as long as he’s doing well.”
Proxy in November became a Grade 1 winner in the Clark, which also is a 1/8-mile race at Churchill Downs. Joel Rosario was aboard for the win that day and also was in the irons for the Oaklawn Handicap. The race Saturday for Proxy was one of the best career performances to date from the Godolphin homebred, who is by Tapit and out of the Grade 1-winning millionaire Panty Raid.
“I would place it up near the top,” Stidham said. “Certainly winning the Grade 1, the Clark, was a huge win for him because it got him to the Grade 1 level, which we needed for stallion reasons.
“This win yesterday was so nice because he had such a rough trip as far as being so wide the entire time. But unfortunately, he kind of makes Joel ride him that way because if he gets behind too much dirt, he just doesn’t run into it well. I think Joel has really figured him out. He’s not a real big whip horse and he doesn’t like a lot of dirt in his face.”
Stidham said the long-range goal with Proxy is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The race will be held this year at Santa Anita. Proxy shipped to Southern California in March and was second by a neck in the Santa Anita Handicap won by Stilleto Boy.
“We’ll map out races that leave him with the best route heading to the Breeders’ Cup,” Stidham said.
Last Samurai is headed to Churchill Downs for trainer D. Wayne Lukas following his effort in the Oaklawn Handicap, owner Kevin Horton said Sunday.
“The race turned out to be kind of like we figured, really tough,” Horton said, noting Last Samurai was brushed in the stretch. “The horse ran a good race, came back good this morning.
"The Stephen Foster is something that we are definitely looking at.”
Horton said there’s an outside chance Last Samurai could run in the Grade 2, $600,000 Alysheba on May 6 at Churchill.
“There’s some talk of wheeling him back quick,” he said. “We’ve done that before with him, and it’s worked out really well for us. He’s a big, strong horse. It will just depend on how he’s doing. It’s really too early to tell.”
Stilleto Boy, who was beaten a head in the Oaklawn Handicap, was flying back to California on Sunday, said trainer Ed Moger Jr.
“He’ll be at Golden Gate Fields this evening,” he said.
Moger was pleased with how Stilleto Boy looked Sunday.
“He’s really sharp, looked pretty good,” he said. “He ran tough, ran really tough. We’re happy he ran that good. Obviously, we would have liked to have won. He showed up.”
The horse will now be freshened, Moger said.
“We’re probably going to take him to our farm, just give him about there or four weeks,” Moger said. “We’re kind of shooting toward the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.”
Last Samurai is an earner of $2 million. Stilleto Boy has earned $1.8 million, and Proxy has a bankroll of $1.7 million.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.