HOT SPRINGS, Ark - Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and jockey Jon Court won their second 3-year-old prep in two days on Monday, when Will Take Charge dug in to get past Texas Bling by a neck in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park. On Saturday at Fair Grounds, the men teamed to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte with Oxbow.
“It was a big weekend,” said Court.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The major storyline for Super Bowl XLVII is the faceoff between opposing head coaches and brothers John and Jim Harbaugh.
At Aqueduct – at least for the last week – it seems like every day is Super Bowl Sunday.
Brothers Irad and Jose Ortiz have dominated the recent proceedings at Aqueduct, winning 30 of the 54 races run at the Big A during the six-day period Jan. 16-21. Irad won 17 races, Jose 13.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Frac Daddy may have worked his way into the Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park with an effortless work here Monday, in which he went five furlongs in 1:01.31, then was caught by Daily Racing Form going out six furlongs in 1:13.95 and seven furlongs in 1:27.46.
ELMONT, N.Y. - While many of his stakes-winning, headline-grabbing Kentucky Derby prospects were putting in workouts in south Florida Sunday morning, one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s under-the-radar 3-year-olds was gearing up for his stakes debut at Belmont Park.
Revolutionary, a solid maiden winner at Aqueduct on Dec. 28, put in an eye-catching workout over the Belmont training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 2.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Less than 12 hours after being named the champion 2-year-old colt of 2012, undefeated Shanghai Bobby was on the track Sunday morning here at the Palm Meadows training center, turning in his final work for his scheduled 2013 debut next Saturday in the Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Nine horses went into the gate for the Lecomte Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, but there was only one worth talking about when the dust had cleared. Oxbow delivered a breakout performance, winning by 11 ½ lengths while – if he wasn’t camped there already – putting trainer Wayne Lukas on the Kentucky Derby trail.
Both Balance the Books and Noble Tune proved themselves among the elite 2-year-olds of 2012, but only on turf. Several horses in recent years have won the Kentucky Derby after beginning their careers on grass, so Chad Brown, who trains both horses, said he will give both the opportunity to make the Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A year ago, Oaklawn Park’s series for 3-year-olds was dominated by Southern California-based horses Bodemeister, Secret Circle, and Castaway. Among them, they split up both divisions of the Southwest and also won the Rebel and Arkansas Derby.
This year, the Southern California train has arrived even earlier in the meet, with Avare shipping to town for the season’s first route stakes for 3-year-olds, the $150,000 Smarty Jones. He goes Monday for trainer Doug O’Neill, who last spring won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Eddie Kenneally and his owner Dr. Joseph Witek, said they’re ready to put Majestic Hussar on the Kentucky Derby trail following his impressive victory over odds-on favorite Palace Malice in Saturday’s opening race at Gulfstream Park.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Officer Alex will run Monday in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park, and he has more than just a few things in common with the race’s namesake. Officer Alex is a Pennsylvania-bred, like Smarty Jones. He also is wintering at Oaklawn, won the Pennsylvania Nursery as a 2-year-old, and his regular rider is Stewart Elliott.
