Teuflesberg's next stop here, there, somewhere

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Teuflesberg, who finished third in last Saturday's Grade 3, $300,000 Rebel here, shipped to Keeneland earlier this week but could return to Oaklawn for the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby here April 14.

The race is one of four options trainer Jamie Sanders is considering for Teuflesberg's next start. She said the others are the Gradeo1, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 7, the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 14, or the Grade 2, $325,000 Lexington, also at Keeneland, on April 21.

"We're going to take him to Keeneland, and we're going to train him at Keeneland and just try to figure out [which race]," said Sanders. "We know he loves to train on the Polytrack. He started on the Polytrack when he was a baby, he trained on it all winter, and he ran on it."

Teuflesberg won a maiden race at about seven furlongs at Keeneland last October.

Sanders said that whatever the race, Oaklawn-based rider Stewart Elliott has the mount on Teuflesberg. Elliott was aboard Teuflesberg for his win in the $250,000 Southwest last month, and again in the Rebel, when Teuflesberg finished 7 3/4 lengths behind the winner, Curlin.

"I'm really happy with how he ran," said Sanders. "He didn't break very good again. I mean, he didn't stumble this time, but he wasn't prepared for the start and he just hopped out of the gate. He was last leaving the gate. So, he really didn't get the place where we wanted to be, but he did run on up there and was sitting third and then fourth at one time.

"When Curlin made his move at the three-eighths pole, we were forced to make the move with him. And so we had to move a little early, and Stewart said he saw him coming on the outside and he knew that he had to go with him because otherwise he was going to get shuffled back. Having to move that early may have cost him second."

More distance for Clear the Way

Clear the Way will get the added distance that he appears to want in Thursday's featured ninth race. The first-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up will be run at one mile. Among the other top contenders in the six-horse field are Kanacatoose and Antrim County.

Clear the Way is the most accomplished starter, with three wins to his credit. The victories were fired off in rapid succession last year in Kentucky. Clear the Way returned to racing following a four-month layoff March 8, closing for fourth in a first-level allowance at Oaklawn.

"I ran him short the other day because he'd been off so long," said Steve Hobby, who trains Clear the Way. "This is a mile, so it should be more to his liking. He should be on or just off the pace going that far."

Clear the Way will break from post 6 under Tim Doocy. He is by Littlebitlively and out of the mare Wood So, a Grade 3 winner of $496,915. She has produced two stakes winners, including Iwoodificould.

Hobby is in the midst of a strong meet, having won 11 races from 69 starts to rank seventh in the standings. He came here with about a dozen more horses than last year, in part because one of his clients, Alex Lieblong, has expanded his stable. Hobby also picked up some horses for K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman, who lead the owner standings at Oaklawn.

"I've got a lot of balance," said Hobby. "I've got a little bit of everything. That's why I've got to run so many horses."

Top horses in the barn include Like an Eagle, who is a candidate for the $100,000 Fifth Season here April 12. Chindi, the retired millionaire trained by Hobby, will return to Oaklawn soon as a pony. He has been at the farm of his owner, Carol Ricks.

"Mrs. Ricks said he's ready to come in," said Hobby. "She said he's getting bored."

Stakes next for Flashstorm

Flashstorm, who won an allowance route for 3-year-olds by five lengths on Saturday under Edgar Prado, could see stakes action in his next start, said his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. He said one of the options is the $100,000 Northern Spur Breeders' Cup here April 14. Or, perhaps a bigger race, said Lukas.

"I might even let him have a crack at the Blue Grass," he said.

Flashstorm is a son of Storm Cat and the mare Kristi, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Geri.