Unbridled Twister can stalk or set the pace
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Unbridled Twister has more natural speed than a number of her rivals in Friday’s eighth race at Oaklawn Park and it could give her a tactical advantage.
“We’ll break and let it play out,” said trainer Al Cates.
The eighth race is a second-level allowance for fillies and mares bred in Arkansas. The six-furlong sprint is expected to produce starters for the $150,000 Downthedustyroad on March 4 at Oaklawn.
Unbridled Twister ran second by a neck in last year’s Downthedustyroad. She broke sharply that afternoon and raced close to the pace. Ricardo Santana Jr. was aboard and has the mount Friday from post 3 in the field of 11.
“She’s one that kind of needs to get away from the gate,” Cates said. “If she’s on an easy lead, that’s fine. I prefer her in a little bit of a kind of stalking position. But I just turn that over to Santana, and he’ll take it from there.”
Unbridled Twister is coming off a third-place finish in a $40,000 starter allowance over six furlongs Dec. 30 at Oaklawn. It was run in the mud in a rare wet-track appearance for the mare.
“She came out of that last race in fine order,” Cates said. “We worked her the other day and she was kind of full of run. She’s just doing good. She’s staying in the feed tub and looks good. Hopefully, she gets a good trip, and I feel like she’ll give it her all.”
Unbridled Twister could set the pace or track Richness, a winner of four of her last six starts. Richness will break from post 7.
Unbridled Twister is a daughter of Street Strategy who races for her breeders, Libbie E. Thiel and Big Dog Racing, and partner John F. Thiel. She is from the female family of Excellent Meeting, a multiple Grade 1 winner of more than $1 million.
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Kaboom Baby exits the same race as Unbridled Twister and finished fifth. It was Kaboom Baby’s first out since May, when she was third in the $150,000 Natural State at Oaklawn. Kaboom Baby, a closer, will break from post 2.
Manny Wah eyes Whitmore.
Manny Wah, who was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland, is a candidate for the Grade 3, $200,000 Whitmore on March 18 at Oaklawn, trainer Wayne Catalano said Tuesday.
Manny Wah last raced at Fair Grounds and was third in the Duncan F. Kenner on Jan. 21. Last year, he won the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland before putting in a closing bid in the Breeders’ Cup
Manny Wah races for Susan Moulton.
◗ Hidden Connection, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park, could make her next start in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri on March 11 at Oaklawn, trainer Bret Calhoun said Tuesday.
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