Sharp comeback winner Southlawn to try Fair Grounds Oaks
Southlawn will make her next start March 26 in the Fair Grounds Oaks following a breakthrough performance last Friday at Fair Grounds.
Southlawn landed a nice second-out maiden win last July at Ellis Park, but then finished seventh, ninth, and fifth while beaten more than 30 combined lengths. Back from a three-month layoff while racing for the first time on Lasix, she blitzed a first-level dirt-route allowance race last week, winning by eight lengths under Reylu Gutierrez in a fast raw time that produced an 87 Beyer.
For comparison’s sake, the Rachel Alexandra Stakes the following day was won with an 83 Beyer.
“She’s a horse we always thought was really, really good,” said Norm Casse, who trains Southlawn for Robert Masterson. “The two times that Tyler Gaffalione rode her last year, he said he was sitting on a ton of horse getting ready to make his move, and she made some noise for him.
“We freshened her up and did a minor throat surgery on her. Now, it’s pretty obvious she was struggling for her air.”
The Beyer figure aside, Casse wants to see Southlawn turn in a similar showing facing stronger competition – which she’ll get next month.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.