JUDE FELD’S GRADED STAKES ANALYSIS
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 8 – THE AZERI (G2)
Multiple Grade 1 winner CLOSE HATCHES makes her 2014 debut in this Hot Springs, Arkansas event, named for one of the great racemares of all-time. She had an excellent three-year-old campaign, mapped out by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and is working at Payson Park like she is ready to resume her winning ways off the layoff. DON’T TELL SOPHIA is a big threat. We have seen these local win-types beat up on shippers many times over the years. The daughter of Congaree loves the Oaklawn strip and is in top form for trainer Phil Sims. She could take it all if the top choice shows any rust at all. ON FIRE BABY is another who relishes the surface. She should make the lead from her outside draw and that is seldom a bad thing at Oaklawn Park. If trainer Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage has her fit, she could go all the way.
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 9 – THE RAZORBACK HANDICAP (G3)
GOVENOR CHARLIE came off an eight-month respite and ran a bang-up race in the Strub (G2) against his own age group. That race should have tightened him up considerably and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has put a solid string of works into him since that effort. Classy and favorably weighted, he should be very tough to beat under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. TAPTOWNE has the speed you would expect from a son of Tapit. He has a win and a second in two starts at Oaklawn and an eye-popping :59 flat work on the last day of February indicates he is ready to roll. Red-hot trainer Steve Asmussen saddles CALLED TO SERVE for the first time here. The gelding has been off for a year, but has some pretty nifty races on his resume. He certainly could be part of the trifecta if ready off the bench.
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 10 – THE REBEL (G2)
STRONG MANDATE has been atop my MyFantasyStable.com rankings for months. His three-year-old debut in the Southwest (G3) on my birthday was solid, especially when you consider that his Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, seldom has one fully cranked after a vacation. The son of Tiznow should move forward in a big way and this is not the strongest Kentucky Derby (G1) prep ever. TAPITURE beat the top pick last time out, but ran his top speed figure off his layoff to do it. I think he might bounce off that race, but if he doesn’t, he could be posing for pictures once again. Trainer John Sadler insists that KOBE’S BACK can run a route of ground. We’ll see if he’s right at 7:04 EDT. Top jockey Jose Lezcano takes over for Joel Rosario, who sticks with STRONG MANDATE, but he is a fine rider in his own right. A best of the morning 1:11 six-furlong drill at Santa Anita adds fuel to the fire. HOPPERTUNITY ran better-than-looked in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. The Bob Baffert trainee is capable of big finishes and could get a piece of the pie at the very least.
GULFSTREAM PARK RACE 10 – THE HONEY FOX (G2)
I love the way H. Graham Motion trains horses. He knows when to stop. He knows when to press on. His charges are fit to compete and the spots he picks make them competitive. My mancrush saddles KITTEN’S POINT here. She handled a nice allowance field after an extended rest and has come back to work well in the five-week interim. Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado rides her back and it seems as if there is enough speed to set up her closing charge. PARRANDA has good tactical speed and has won four out of her last five starts. The $13,000 OBS bargain purchase has banked $448,655 and looks to add to that total here. Old favorite CENTRE COURT went off form after the Keeneland spring meeting last year. Trainer Rusty Arnold wisely sent her home for a while after Saratoga and she should have benefitted from the vacay. TAPICAT has some nice races on her resume. She has never lost over the Gulfstream turf course, but this is the toughest field she has faced in Hallendale.
SANTA ANITA PARK RACE 7 – THE SANTA MARGARITA (G1)
The cleverly named FIFTYSHADESOFHAY has a comment line that reads like the book – “held well, willingly, yielded, bobbled and squeezed.” She has breezed well since the La Canada (G2) and is reunited with jockey Martin Garcia, who seems to get the best from her. MISS SERENDIPITY might be the true distance mare in this race. She has a Grade 1 win in Argentina on her resume and Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally has always had a way with the South American ladies. With two U.S. starts under her belt, she should be ready for her best. IOTAPA has really come into her own. She’s never been out of the money in eight career starts, winning half of them. A repeat of her Santa Maria (G2) puts her right there on the wire.
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 8 – THE AZERI (G2)
Multiple Grade 1 winner CLOSE HATCHES makes her 2014 debut in this Hot Springs, Arkansas event, named for one of the great racemares of all-time. She had an excellent three-year-old campaign, mapped out by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and is working at Payson Park like she is ready to resume her winning ways off the layoff. DON’T TELL SOPHIA is a big threat. We have seen these local win-types beat up on shippers many times over the years. The daughter of Congaree loves the Oaklawn strip and is in top form for trainer Phil Sims. She could take it all if the top choice shows any rust at all. ON FIRE BABY is another who relishes the surface. She should make the lead from her outside draw and that is seldom a bad thing at Oaklawn Park. If trainer Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage has her fit, she could go all the way.
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 9 – THE RAZORBACK HANDICAP (G3)
GOVENOR CHARLIE came off an eight-month respite and ran a bang-up race in the Strub (G2) against his own age group. That race should have tightened him up considerably and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has put a solid string of works into him since that effort. Classy and favorably weighted, he should be very tough to beat under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. TAPTOWNE has the speed you would expect from a son of Tapit. He has a win and a second in two starts at Oaklawn and an eye-popping :59 flat work on the last day of February indicates he is ready to roll. Red-hot trainer Steve Asmussen saddles CALLED TO SERVE for the first time here. The gelding has been off for a year, but has some pretty nifty races on his resume. He certainly could be part of the trifecta if ready off the bench.
OAKLAWN PARK RACE 10 – THE REBEL (G2)
STRONG MANDATE has been atop my MyFantasyStable.com rankings for months. His three-year-old debut in the Southwest (G3) on my birthday was solid, especially when you consider that his Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, seldom has one fully cranked after a vacation. The son of Tiznow should move forward in a big way and this is not the strongest Kentucky Derby (G1) prep ever. TAPITURE beat the top pick last time out, but ran his top speed figure off his layoff to do it. I think he might bounce off that race, but if he doesn’t, he could be posing for pictures once again. Trainer John Sadler insists that KOBE’S BACK can run a route of ground. We’ll see if he’s right at 7:04 EDT. Top jockey Jose Lezcano takes over for Joel Rosario, who sticks with STRONG MANDATE, but he is a fine rider in his own right. A best of the morning 1:11 six-furlong drill at Santa Anita adds fuel to the fire. HOPPERTUNITY ran better-than-looked in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. The Bob Baffert trainee is capable of big finishes and could get a piece of the pie at the very least.
GULFSTREAM PARK RACE 10 – THE HONEY FOX (G2)
I love the way H. Graham Motion trains horses. He knows when to stop. He knows when to press on. His charges are fit to compete and the spots he picks make them competitive. My mancrush saddles KITTEN’S POINT here. She handled a nice allowance field after an extended rest and has come back to work well in the five-week interim. Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado rides her back and it seems as if there is enough speed to set up her closing charge. PARRANDA has good tactical speed and has won four out of her last five starts. The $13,000 OBS bargain purchase has banked $448,655 and looks to add to that total here. Old favorite CENTRE COURT went off form after the Keeneland spring meeting last year. Trainer Rusty Arnold wisely sent her home for a while after Saratoga and she should have benefitted from the vacay. TAPICAT has some nice races on her resume. She has never lost over the Gulfstream turf course, but this is the toughest field she has faced in Hallendale.
SANTA ANITA PARK RACE 7 – THE SANTA MARGARITA (G1)
The cleverly named FIFTYSHADESOFHAY has a comment line that reads like the book – “held well, willingly, yielded, bobbled and squeezed.” She has breezed well since the La Canada (G2) and is reunited with jockey Martin Garcia, who seems to get the best from her. MISS SERENDIPITY might be the true distance mare in this race. She has a Grade 1 win in Argentina on her resume and Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally has always had a way with the South American ladies. With two U.S. starts under her belt, she should be ready for her best. IOTAPA has really come into her own. She’s never been out of the money in eight career starts, winning half of them. A repeat of her Santa Maria (G2) puts her right there on the wire.