Snapper Sinclair a solid favorite in Fifth Season

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Snapper Sinclair will be looking to flip the script Sunday in the $150,000 Fifth Season at Oaklawn Park.

He was edged by a head in last month’s $350,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn – arguably the second-toughest beat of his career behind a nose loss in the Grade 2 Risen Star last year at Fair Grounds.

“It’s time for him to win one of them,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.

The opportunity comes in the Fifth Season, where Snapper Sinclair could start as a slight favorite in a competitive field of older horses going 1 1/16 miles. The field includes the supplemented Noble Indy, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds; Hawaakom, winner of last year’s Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn; and Matrooh, who was third in last year’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

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Operation Stevie, a recent allowance winner over a deep field, was likely to scratch in favor of the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap here Saturday, trainer Cipriano Contreras said Friday.

“It’s 99 percent he’ll go in the Count Fleet,” he said.

Contreras also trains Matrooh.

The Fifth Season is part of the $3.6 million Racing Festival of the South, which features six stakes over a three-day period. The series concludes Sunday, with the Fifth Season sharing the final Festival card with the Grade 1, $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap.

KEY CONTENDERS

Snapper Sinclair, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 93-93-90

◗ He was prominent throughout in the Essex, a 1 1/16-mile race won by the deep closer Rated R Superstar. Snapper Sinclar, conceding a pound, fought to the wire and after a lengthy photo was declared the runner-up.

“It was a very strong, determined run from him,” Asmussen said. “He was very game.”

◗ Snapper Sinclair will be looking for his second win at the meet Sunday behind a sharp mile allowance win Feb. 17.

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount from post 9 for Bloom Racing Stable.

Matrooh, by Distorted Humor
Last 3 Beyers: 85-90-94

◗ He is moving back into the stakes ranks after setting the pace and finishing third in a local allowance March 23 at Oaklawn. The start was his first since September.

“He’s got a race underneath him now,” Contreras said.

◗ Contreras said Matrooh could settle off the pace Sunday. He used closing tactics to win last year’s Grade 3 Hanshin at Arlington Park and also rallied from off the pace when third in the Stephen Foster.

“He was a little too fresh last time,” Contreras said.

◗ Stewart Elliot has the mount in the Fifth Season.

Noble Indy, by Take Charge Indy
Last 3 Beyers: 82-66-54

◗ He set the pace in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap last out at Fair Grounds before finishing sixth. He was stretching out around two turns for the 1 1/8-mile race off a sprint comeback and could be sitting on a peak effort in this, his third start since July.

◗ Trainer Todd Pletcher has given the mount to Ramon Vazquez.