Red Route One gets past Tapit Shoes at wire in Bath House Row
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Red Route One became a stakes winner Saturday when he came rolling for a head win over Tapit Shoes in the $200,000 Bath House Row at Oaklawn Park.
It was another half-length back in third to favorite Victory Formation.
Red Route One came into the race as one of the top 3-year-olds at Oaklawn, having run second in both the Grade 3 Southwest and Grade 2 Rebel. He also represented himself well in graded stakes starts as a 2-year-old.
“I’m glad he won,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s run third in the Breeders’ Futurity, fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club, two seconds earlier in the meet. It was so nice to finally win [a stakes] – barely – but a win.”
Red Route One also earned a Preakness berth with his victory in the Bath House Row. The horse’s status for the race is to be determined, Asmussen said, in part based on how Disarm performs in the Kentucky Derby. Asmussen said Red Route One would ship to Churchill Downs on Monday.
“How Disarm runs will have something to do with what he does, being the same connections,” said Asmussen.
Disarm and Red Route One both are homebreds for Winchell Thoroughbreds.
The Bath House Row Stakes was a milestone victory for Asmussen, who became Oaklawn’s all-time leading trainer with the win. He reached a summit of 868 victories at the Arkansas track to eclipse a record held by the late Bob Holthus. Asmussen, who is the all-time leading trainer in North America, also holds the title of all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs, Lone Star Park, Remington Park and Sam Houston Race Park.
In the Bath House Row – which was formerly called the Oaklawn Invitational - Red Route One ($6) had one horse beat early as Victory Formation set fractions of 22.87 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.95 for the half-mile, and 1:12.06 for six furlongs. Red Route One began to pick up steam on the turn and closed with good energy through the stretch, and covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.94.
Joel Rosario was aboard and the win gave him a sweep of the three stakes run Saturday at Oaklawn. He also captured the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap aboard Proxy ($9.20) and the $150,000 Valley of the Vapors aboard Merlazza ($3.20).
Red Route One is a son of Gun Runner who has now won 2 of 9 starts for earnings of $631,575.
Oaklawn reported an estimated ontrack attendance of 35,000 on Saturday. Handle on the 12-race card from all sources was $13 million. Racing resumes Sunday.
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