The week that was in racing, March 14-20, 2016

Here's a collection of some of the biggest stories in horse racing, all in one place. Unless noted, all of the links here are to free stories on DRF.com.

Cupid joins Derby contender list

Cupid gave his Triple Crown-winning trainer, Bob Baffert, a record sixth win in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday, when he turned back a bid from Whitmore to win the prep race for 3-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths. The win earned Cupid enough points to make the Kentucky Derby. The horse, who overcame difficulty in just his fourth career start, likely will start in the Arkansas Derby next.

Graded stakes action around the country

Oaklawn featured two other graded stakes on Saturday, both routes for older horses. The Grade 3 Razorback Handicap featured the return to the races, and to the winner’s circle, for Upstart. The 4-year-old colt was making his first start since a fifth-place effort in the Pennsylvania Derby last September, and it was his first win since taking the Grade 2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park nearly 14 months ago.

The Grade 2 Azeri Stakes also featured a favorite looking to return to the winner’s circle, as Untapable was sent off as the 2-5 choice to end a four-race losing streak. In deep stretch, it looked like she would win until Call Pat closed with a torrid rush along the inside to beat her by a neck.

The weekend’s lone Grade 1 race occurred at Santa Anita on Saturday, when Tara’s Tango ran down odds-on favorite Taris in deep stretch to win the Santa Margarita Stakes for older fillies and mares.

On Sunday, Fantastic Style returned from an eight-month layoff looking better than ever, as she cruised to a four-length victory in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes for older female sprinters at Santa Anita.

At Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Stonetastic asserted her class edge to add another graded stakes win to her résumé, leading throughout to register a decisive 3 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Inside Information. It was her second graded stakes win and her first victory at seven furlongs.

Breeding news

Grade 2 winner Vicar’s in Trouble was euthanized March 11 due to long-running complications from laminitis. The 5-year-old son of Into Mischief last raced in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, where he was vanned off after suffering a condylar fracture in his left front leg in a pace-pressing, then rapidly fading effort.

Unbeaten New Mexico-bred millionaire Peppers Pride has been confirmed in foal to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Horses to watch

Aqueduct:

IRISH PRAYER
Trainer: Mike Maker
Last race: March 19, 9th
Finish: 5th by 11
Beyer: 32
First-time starter hit the side of the gate and trailed through the early stages, then rallied past several rivals toward the inside in a $25,000 maiden sprint for New York-breds.

DRF Plus subscribers can see the rest of Dave Litfin’s horses to watch from last week by clicking here.

– reporting by Mike Hogan, Joe Nevills, Jay Privman, Mary Rampellini, Nicole Russo, Mike Watchmaker, and Mike Welsch