OAKLAWN PARK NOTEBOOK
MARCH 31, 2006
by Mark Weatherton
Saturday’s Honeybee S. was won by a filly that had to break her maiden twice.
ERMINE (Exchange Rate) missed what would’ve been a daylight win in her first start at
the Spa when she ducked in from an unexpected tap with a whip and lost her rider
only yards from the wire. But the chestnut came back in her second start here to
break her maiden by three easy lengths.
The improving Ronny Werner charge handled her first try against black-type
foes with aplomb, stopping the timer in 1:44 2/5 while three lengths
ahead. With Calvin Borel up for the first time, she ran a race that was a carbon
copy of her previous starts here — starting well before settling in second, pressing the pace until the home straight
and then pulling away from her competition.
Post-time favorite Brownie Points (Forest Wildcat) made her usual late run to
get up for place but did not challenge the leader. The pacesetting Morner
(Broken Vow) held for the show.
Ermine is on schedule for the Fantasy S. (G2) on April 14 and will probably
have to contend with several of these again.
In another ripple effect of Katrina, the Vulcan S. was run at Oaklawn Park for
the first time. The Vulcan has a $50,000 purse and is restricted to Alabama-bred
sophomores. This year it attracted a field of seven, including a filly.
The race was dominated by BIG FRED (Royal Empire), who romped home by nearly
eight lengths. The win was the second for the chestnut colt and came on the
heels of his maiden score at Tampa Bay Downs. Big Fred ran his record to
4-2-1-0.
Debut runner Ivor’s Empire (Royal Empire) was along for second and Cameroon
Kid (Carolina Kid) ran third.
Luis Quinonez continues to top the jockey standings with 36 victories.
Terry Thompson has 29 in second and Robby Albarado moved up through the field to
tie Jamie Theriot with 27 apiece. Tim Doocy picked up his first win since
returning to the saddle in Sunday’s 5TH race as he guided
favorite Private Faith (Private Terms) to the wire.
Steve Asmussen and Cole Norman are tied atop the conditioners standings, each
having saddled 27 winners. They are followed by Bob Holthus (14), Larry
Jones and Werner (11) and Randy Morse (10).
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (3/22)
8TH – JULIES FIRST (Shawaf), a four-year-old filly making her first attempt for
the Kim Ewing barn, appears to be rounding into form. She made a strong run at a
lone-speed horse but came up short by a head. The track was upgraded to fast
just before this race and may not have been in its top speed producing
condition, nevertheless, she turned the final panel in :12 2/5.
Thursday (3/23)
6TH – PASS THE AMO (Lord Pleasant) moved up in class off a solid debut race
and put in another very nice one, missing place by only a neck. The public has
not taken a fancy to this dark bay colt, sending him off at 40-1 first out and
22-1 here. This improving runner from the Tim Gleason shedrow could score next
out at a nice price.
8TH – CARSONCITYPROSPECT (Carson City) faltered badly in her debut but
redeemed herself today. The well-bred filly, on a day when stalk-and-pounce
types were dominating the races over a tiring track rated as good, immediately
went to the lead and held off all comers to pick up her maiden win by a
half-length.
Friday (3/24)
1ST – After six rather unimpressive starts, SHESANIDEM (Ide) put it all
together in her fourth start of the meet, sprinting to the lead and dominating a
field of maiden special weights, coming home 7 3/4 lengths ahead. In the only previous start that showed anything, she made
the lead but gave way late to finish fifth, beaten by five lengths. Here, she
finished strong to stop the clock in 1:39 2/5, improving over her last start by
nearly 20 lengths. Oh, she paid $95.20 to win.
Saturday (3/25)
2ND – HIBERNATE (Real Quiet) was much closer to the pace than usual and moved
to the lead before the three-quarter mile mark. A
five-year-old campaigner trying the nine-furlong distance for the first time, he battled
gamely but was beaten by the odds-on favorite by less than a length. Both horses
were going strongly at the end, covering the last panel in just more than :12.
Hibernate could still be a price next out.
Sunday (3/26)
6TH – A one-mile test for maiden special weights has the look of a “key” race
and should be watched carefully. A very nice field of 12 went postward, and
eventual winner POLARITY (Northern Afleet) pressed the pace very hard only
a length back in second. He moved to the lead in the early stretch and was
followed by SMOKE MOUNTAIN (Smoke Glacken), who dueled with the winner but
saw that one pull clear by 1 1/2 lengths late. The winner was timed in 1:39 1/5
and the top five all were under 1:40. Third, fourth and fifth went to second-time starter FINANCE MINISTER (Service Stripe), PIZZI’S PRIDE (Is It True) and
LUCIFER’S LIGHT (Devil’s Bag), respectively.
8TH – A starter allowance for four-year-olds and up produced the best 5
1/2-furlong time (1:04) of the meet. THE FRAC (Dayjur) bided his time in fourth
in the six-horse field throughout the early running and was behind horses, not
finding an opening until the sixteenth pole, but used a very strong kick to get home
a length ahead.