TODAY'S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11:35 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Penn National, 5 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:40 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.
UNCONTESTED TO SKIP REBEL?
Uncontested likely will make his next start in the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 15 at Oaklawn, co-owner Harry Rosenblum of Little Rock said Wednesday. Rosenblum said he and Uncontested's trainer, Wayne Catalano, are calling Monday's Southwest Stakes a "throw out" after the colt faded to sixth as the favorite. "He's perfectly fine," Rosenblum said after seeing Uncontested on Wednesday morning. "He looks good. We're tickled with where we are with him now, and you're probably going to see the horse back in the Arkansas Derby." Uncontested held a clear lead until late in the second turn of the 1 1/16-mile Southwest and was beaten 12¾ lengths by One Liner, who was making his stakes and two-turn debut. Uncontested, in his 3-year-old debut, was a record-setting 5¼-length wire-to-wire winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones on Jan. 16.
TRIPLE DIGITS ... AGAIN
Gun Runner was assigned a preliminary Beyer figure of 110 (a career-high) for his front-running 5¾-length victory in Monday's $500,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap under Florent Geroux. It was the fifth consecutive triple-digit Beyer figure for Gun Runner. The son of Candy Ride was using the Razorback as a possible prep for the $10 million Grade I Dubai World Cup on March 25 at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. "It's obviously one of the choices," co-owner Ron Winchell said moments after the Razorback. "We'll see how he comes out of this race." Gun Runner, who was making his 4-year-old debut, ran 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:40.97. Lost Code set the stakes record (1:40.40) in 1988. Heatherten set the track record (1:40.20) in the $250,000 Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares in 1984.
PERFECT PROMESSA
Terra Promessa earned a preliminary Beyer figure of 97 (a career-high) for her front-running 4¾-length victory in the $150,000 Grade III Bayakoa Stakes for older fillies and mares Saturday under four-time defending Oaklawn champion Ricardo Santana. Terra Promessa is unbeaten in five career starts at Oaklawn, including the $125,000 Pippin on Jan. 14 when she set a stakes record for 1 1/16 miles -- 1:43.16 -- to earn a 95 Beyer figure in her 4-year-old debut. She ran 1 1/16 miles Saturday in 1:43.18, the second-fastest winning time since the Bayakoa's inaugural running in 1992. Trainer Steve Asmussen said late Monday afternoon that he hadn't spoken to Barbara Banke, who bred and owns Terra Promessa, but his hope is the filly will make her next start in the $350,000 Grade II Azeri Stakes on March 18.
MILLION DOLLAR MAN
Ramon Vazquez became the second jockey at the meet to reach $1 million in purse earnings after winning Monday's second race aboard favored Wild About Irene ($6.60) for trainer Federico Villafranco and Danny Caldwell, Oaklawn's leading owner the past three years. Vazquez's mounts have earned $1,060,339 through the first 25 days of the scheduled 57-day meeting. He was Oaklawn's second-leading rider the past two years. He didn't reach $1 million in purse earnings during the 2016 meeting until Day 36. Ricardo Santana became the first jockey at the meeting to reach $1 million in purse earnings Sunday. Santana also has a meet-high 28 victories. Vazquez is second with 27. Geovanni Franco is third with 22.
FINISH LINES
Alex Birzer recorded his 2,996th career victory in Monday's eighth race aboard favored Shotgun Kowboy ($7.20), according to Equibase. Birzer, trying to become the 174th jockey to reach 3,000 North American victories, is named on seven horses Thursday. ... Big Ragu, who finished third in Monday's sixth race, was the first Oaklawn starter for trainer Louie Roussel since April 1, 1988, when False Glitter finished sixth in the $75,000 Honeybee Stakes. ... Trainer Miguel Carranza saddled his first winner at Oaklawn in Monday's third race in favored Dixie Lover ($4.60). Alex Canchari rode the winner for his father, owner Luis Canchari.
Information for this report contributed by Oaklawn media department and Democrat-Gazette Press Services.
Sports on 02/23/2017