Another week in captivity, quarantine, isolation, stay-at-home, shelter-in-place, whatever you want to call it and another Saturday of racing – albeit quite limited – to provide a distraction from homeschooling, unfinished to-do lists and recycling all those beer cans, wine bottles and to-go containers.
How will you spend your Saturday? Start with some racing from Australia in the wee hours before transitioning to the lone three U.S. tracks running (without crowds of course) in Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs and Oaklawn Park.
Two stakes on tap for the very light slate for Easter Eve thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, both in Hot Springs with the $200,000 Oaklawn Invitational for 3-year-olds and the Oaklawn Mile for older horses.
Normally – you hear that word a lot these days – we’d be counting down the days to the Kentucky Derby and filling out the last few pieces of the puzzle with the Arkansas Derby taking center stage. The Arkansas Derby will be run but in three weeks’ time, on the first Saturday in May. Thus the Oaklawn Invitational becomes a major prep for the biggest race of the spring.
Strange days indeed.
Here’s your primer for Saturday, April 11. Be well, take care and stay home.
Randwick. Race 4. Friday 11:20 p.m. Another Friday night and I ain’t got nobody…Randwick’s solid card should keep us entertained. Two-year-old fillies aim at the Group 2 Heineken Percy Sykes Stakes. A soldier, diplomat and scholar, Sykes would tab Away Game to capture her fourth career victory.
Randwick. Race 5. Friday 11:55. Parlay the Sykes money on the Arrowfield Sprint, a Group 2 that attracts a dozen, including Flit, winner of more than $600,000 and Anaaheed, a five-time winning daughter of Fastnet Rock.
Randwick. Race 6. 12:30 a.m. Still going strong? The Star Australia Oaks comes next.
Randwick. Race 7. 1:15. What a card. Globetrotting Young Rascal aims at the Schweppes Sydney Cup for British-based William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
Randwick. Race 8. 1:55. Oh, what the hell, stay up all night, you’ve got nothing else to do. The Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes looks better than a pint of Cherry Garcia for-late night entertainment. Japanese-bred and based Danon Premium makes his Aussie debut. Imaging fetched £260,000 from the Juddmonte draft at Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in October but has yet to prosper down under. Haggas and Marquand try to win a second Group 1 with Addeybb.
Randwick. Race 9. 2:35. Con Te Partiro wheels back after finishing sixth April 4. She takes on 16 tough foes in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes.
Tampa Bay Downs. Race 1. 12:15 p.m. The show rolls along. One-mile maiden claimer on the grass. opens the card.
Gulfstream Park. Race 1. 12:30. Wow, the Gulfstream card features a 35-page stack of basic DRF PPs. That’s a bundle but not surprising considering the horse population remaining in South Florida and lack of opportunity nationwide. A dozen for the opener, a 5-furlong turf claimer for $12,500 to $10,500 tags.
Tampa. Race 3. 1:15. Tracy Ann’s Legacy, 2-for-2 on the local turf course, looks like deserving favorite in 5-furlong optional on the grass.
Gulfstream. Race 3. 1:26. Queen’s Mason makes the key drop – maiden special to maiden claimer – and runs for tag for the first time in 6-furlong event. One of two for Michael Tomlinson, son of Liaison came close in five of seven so far.
Oaklawn. Race 1. 1:35. Still in action in Hot Springs, the opener is $6,250 sprint claimer for fillies and mares.
Oaklawn. Race 2. 2:08. Robertino Diodoro, a dozen up on Steve Asmussen in the trainer standings for the meet entering Friday’s card, sends out Adheretome. He claimed daughter of Paynter for $16,000 two back and she’s 3-for-3 in Hot Springs.
Gulfstream. Race 5. 2:23. Todd Pletcher, Brian Lynch, Brendan Walsh, Roger Attfield, Chad Brown, Mark Casse, John Mazza, Mark Hennig, Ken McPeek and Tim Hills, all stuck in Florida when they’d normally be back in Kentucky, New York, New Jersey and Ontario, send out runners in 1-mile turf maiden for 3-year-old fillies.
Oaklawn. Race 3. 2:39. Full field of 12 3-year-olds for 6-furlong maiden, including the Into Mischief firster Oak Room for Juddmonte and Brad Cox and Tiznow colt Now Tiz Time for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Steve Asmussen.
Gulfstream. Race 6. 2:52. Same story for 6 1/2-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up with race made up primarily of horsemen usually elsewhere. Sign of the times for sure. Dark Web should get it done for Ian Wilkes, unless Ima Pharoah draws in off AE list for Todd Pletcher.
Oaklawn. Race 4. 3:10. First division of 1-mile optional for 3-year-olds could be useful prep for Arkansas Derby. New York-bred stakes winner Cleon Jones makes his return against the likes of multiple graded-stakes placed Scabbard, Blackberry Wine and Shooters Shoot. Golf fans will be all over Amen Corner, wishing things were different and watching The Masters.
Oaklawn. Race 5. 3:41. Casual, daughter of Curlin out of Grade 1 winner Lady Tak, makes debut in 6-furlong maiden for 3-year-old fillies for Steve Asmussen. Plenty of others look good, including Nasty, Silverbella, Cynical Girl, Millennium Force and Congratulated.
Gulfstream. Race 8. 3:52. Cornbread Kingdom, son of Uncle Mo trained by Dale Romans, makes one think about the book Cornbread Mafia. Heard of it? Give it a read, you’ve got time.
Tampa. Race 7. 3:15. Barrel of Stout. Some days it feels like we could use one, or even two. What about the New York-bred son of Dublin in this 1 1/16-mile claimer on the grass? He’ll be a price but sports a good local record.
Oaklawn. Race 6. 4:12. Here’s the second division of 1-mile optional, which features New York-bred stakes winner Captain Bombastic, debut winner Pneumatic, Todd Pletcher’s Florida shipper Giocare, Maryland shipper My Friends Bear and Ancient Warrior.
Tampa. Race 9. 4:15. Astroturf and U S Army Corps look tough in 1-mile maiden on the grass, while Channel Stuffer makes U.S. debut off long layoff for Michael Stidham and Small Talk makes first start for Kent Sweezey off trainer change in the finale.
Oaklawn. Race 7. 4:42. Earner, son of Carpe Diem who cost the Lieblongs $425,000 at 2018 Keeneland September sale, ran well in debut in mid-January at Fair Grounds. He makes start No. 2 in two-turn maiden that features another big field with what looks like plenty of live contenders.
Gulfstream. Race 10. 4:54. Chart found the water a touch deep in Grade 2 Davona Dale off maiden win in mid-January. Daughter of Lea returns in 1-mile optional in first start off trainer change from Gary Contessa to Mark Casse.
Oaklawn. Race 8. 5:12. Misses the Premier League? Bummed out about the Euros being moved to 2021? Maybe bet Pickford and cash on horse named – we assume – for Everton and English national team goalkeeper.
Gulfstream. Race 11. 5:24. Here’s the co-feature, 1 1/16-mile optional on the grass with a full field of 12 and a trio on the AE list. Honey Won’t took starter allowance in late January and shows he likes the course.
Oaklawn. Race 9. 5:43. Well, well, well. Look who’s back in action for the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile – Grade 1 winner Tom’s d’Etat and multiple 2019 Derby winner Mr. Money taking on Improbable, Pioneer Spirit, Snapper Sinclair and Long Range Toddy.
Gulfstream. Race 12. 5:54. J P’s Delight got back on track winning handicap at Tampa after suffering first defeat in Grade 2 Inside Information Jan. 25 at Gulfstream. She looks tough in 6-furlong optional that goes as co-feature and also draws graded stakes competitor Pacific Gale, Liza Star, Hieressall and Jakarta.
Oaklawn. Race 10. 6:14. A dozen 3-year-olds for two-turn maiden, including Dean Martini for Brad Cox, Eddy Forever for Robertino Diodoro, Oxide for Eddie Kenneally and What A Country for Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage. Come on Red Dog.
Oaklawn. Race 11. 6:48. The race of the day – $200,000 Oaklawn Invitational for 3-year-olds at 9 furlongs. The prep for the Arkansas Derby – not including some of the others on the card or run in prior weeks – features Grade 1 Hopeful winner Basin in his second start looking to improve on third in the Rebel and Bob Baffert’s Thousand Words looking to bounce back from first defeat in the Grade 2 San Felipe last time out. Don’t overlook Farmington Road or Digital, fourth and fifth in a division of the Grade 2 Risen Star for Todd Pletcher and Bret Calhoun, respectively, or last-out Oaklawn optional winner Taishan.
Oaklawn. Race 12. 7:19. The good ones keep coming. Well, this is the last one for the day, two-turn optional for older horses led by Sonny Smack, Exulting, Popular Kid, Limonite and Cashanova. Now, get back to that to-do list.
