The Wine Steward pointed toward Oaklawn Mile off Fifth Season score

The Wine Steward and Sugoi gave trainer Mike Maker a memorable afternoon in the Southwest region last Saturday, with the horses accounting for stakes on marquee cards at Oaklawn Park and Sam Houston Race Park.

The Wine Steward captured the $150,000 Fifth Season at Oaklawn, on the undercard of the Southwest Stakes. He was making his first start since last year’s Belmont Stakes and raced with the pace throughout in a powerful effort off the bench. The Wine Steward won by a neck and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He’s one we always had high hopes on,” Maker said. “I was surprised it was that big of an effort [first start back], but not surprised.”

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The Wine Steward won the third stakes race of his career. He has also run second in three graded races. Those starts immediately preceded a ninth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

“He chipped a knee in the Belmont,” said Maker.

The Wine Steward had the bone chip removed and had recently been working sharply at Gulfstream Park.

“I think a mile to a mile and a sixteenth probably is his best distance, but we’re going to keep him at a mile for now and probably next point toward the Oaklawn Mile, if all is well,” Maker said Tuesday.

The Grade 3, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile will be run March 29.

The Wine Steward is a New York-bred son of Vino Russo who races for Paradise Farms and David Staudacher. It’s the same ownership behind Sugoi, who won the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup on the same Sam Houston card as the track’s richest race, the Grade 3, $300,000 Sam Houston Ladies Classic.

Sugoi raced with the pace throughout and held for a nose win over a fast-closing Verstappen. For the effort, Sugoi earned a career-high Beyer of 98.

“He never disappoints,” Maker said. “He runs his race every time and he loves a dogfight.”

Sugoi was a $50,000 claim out of a winning effort on dirt last April. He would go on to capture the Grade 3 Louisville at Churchill Downs for his new connections. The race was run over the same 1 1/2 miles on turf as the Connally.

“He can turf, he can dirt, and he was one we wanted to try and stretch out and see what happens, and it paid off,” said Maker.

Sugoi likely will make his next start at Gulfstream, said Maker. The options are the Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida at 1 3/8 miles on turf March 1 or the Grade 2, $200,000 Pan American at 1 1/2 miles on turf March 29.

Both horses are to return to Florida.

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