Presidents’ Day Weekend Stakes Coming Together at Oaklawn
Farrell (Photo by Coady Photography)
Farrell, Streamline and Terra Promessa are among the early probables for Saturday’s $150,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares, Oaklawn co-stakes coordinator Lenny Rera said Sunday morning.
The 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa is Oaklawn’s second of three major two-turn preps for the $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 13.
All three horses ran in the $125,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 13, Oaklawn’s first two-turn stake for older fillies and mares.
Farrell was a front-running three-quarter length winner of the 1 1/16-mile Pippin, with Streamline and Terra Promessa finishing third and fifth, respectively.
Terra Promessa won last year’s Pippin and Bayakoa for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Streamline has run in Oaklawn’s last nine two-turn stakes races for older fillies and mares, never finishing worse than third for trainer Brain Williamson.
Farrell was making her Oaklawn debut in the Pippin. Trainer Wayne Catalano said the major spring objective for Farrell (7 of 11 overall, including six stakes) is securing her first Grade 1 victory in the Apple Blossom.
Post positions for the Bayakoa will be drawn Wednesday.
Oaklawn will card two stakes races Feb. 19 – the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses and the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds.
Rera said there are eight early probables for the 1 1/16-mile Razorback: City of Lights, Far Right, Hawaakom, Hoppertunity, J Boys Echo, Leofric, Sonneteer and Untrapped.
City of Lights, Hoppertunity and Sonneteer are based in Southern California, with the latter two already Oaklawn stakes winners.
Hoppertunity won the $600,000 Rebel (G2) for 3-year-olds in 2014 for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Hoppertunity has earned $4,347,025 in a 29-race career.
Sonneteer won the $125,000 Fifth Season – Oaklawn’s first of four two-turn stakes races for older horses – Jan. 12 for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
City of Light hasn’t started since winning the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds Dec. 26 at Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Hawaakom finished a distant second to eventual Horse of the Year Gun Runner in last year’s Razorback.
Far Right won Oaklawn’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) in 2015 before finishing second to eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1).
The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is expected to draw a large field, including Grade 1 winner Sporting Chance for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Sporting Chance is the most accomplished 3-year-old on the grounds.
Post positions for the Razorback and Southwest will be drawn Friday.
(from Oaklawn news release)
