Shashashakemeup tops Iowa Derby; Ocean Breeze, Strong Flag square off in Oaks

Shashashakemeup was a no-no-no go in two-turn races earlier this year. But the 3-year-old colt appears to have learned lessons since his last route try, a dismal showing in the Risen Star Stakes, and on Sunday in the $100,000 Iowa Derby he will try, try, try two turns again.

Shashashakemeup is one of just six entrants in the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Derby, which offers no Kentucky Derby qualifying points and feels the squeeze from the $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 27 and the $300,000 Indiana Derby on July 8.

Trained by Keith Desormeaux for Calumet Farm, Shashashakemeup started his career with an eye-catching sprint debut win in a maiden race with a cap on entrants’ auction prices. Shashashakemeup finished fourth over a sloppy Fair Grounds track in the six-furlong Sugar Bowl Stakes, won by mud-loving Gold Street, before Desormeaux tried two turns Jan. 18 in the Lecomte Stakes. Shashashakemeup got in a pace duel after breaking from an outside post and performed creditably to finish sixth of 12 in a closer-dominated race, but he never came close to getting involved in the Risen Star, finishing last of 11.

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In two more recent races, both sprints, Shashashakemeup showed a new dimension, an ability to settle and finish, winning at Oaklawn and finishing second in a Churchill allowance against older horses. The tactical maturity could help him succeed in this two-turn try, though his 2-1 morning-line odds discourage a win bet.

Hondo Lane and Prodigious Bay are the principal pace players and ought to set a decent tempo, with Letmeno and Shashashakemeup stalking on the outside. Acre, drawn on the rail, can nestle into a comfortable ground-saving trip but might not be fast enough to do much with it.

Iowa Oaks

Trainer Steve Asmussen won the 2018 Iowa Oaks with future Grade 1-winner She’s a Julie and the 2019 renewal with Lady Apple, who captured the rich Houston Ladies Classic this winter. Asmussen entered Strong Flag in Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Iowa Oaks, but Ocean Breeze can put an end to Asmussen’s Iowa Oaks win streak.

Strong Flag is listed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite, Ocean Breeze is the 4-1 co-third choice, but Strong Flag figures to go off at a longer price, Ocean Breeze a shorter one.

Strong Flag won an Oaklawn Park maiden race this year before finishing second to subsequent Oaklawn stakes winner Piece of My Heart in a first-level allowance race there. Problem is, Strong Flag’s two most recent races marked a step back from that early spring form.

Meanwhile, Ocean Breeze, trained by Wayne Catalano, had a tough trip breaking from the rail with 11 horses to her outside making her debut in a sloppy-track Oaklawn maiden sprint. She did well to finish fourth behind runaway winner Merneith and came back with a big sprint maiden win at Churchill, where she proved 8 1/4 lengths best, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Ocean Breeze is by major route influence Curlin and out of Ocean Wave, who placed in multiple graded dirt-route stakes. Catalano also trained Ocean Wave, who like Ocean Breeze, is owned by Gary and Mary West.

Ocean Breeze should sail through the two-turn test and win the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Oaks.

◗ Welder is the fastest horse in the $50,000 Iowa Sprint, but in five previous Prairie Meadows starts he has never run a peak race. He’ll try again Sunday and was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite, but any of his four rivals in this six-furlong dash could win.