Five projected starters for Monday’s $300,000 Southwest S. (G3) completed
their final major preparations Wednesday morning over the fast track at Oaklawn
Park, including Mr. Z,
who worked a half-mile in :49 1/5 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Lukas said he’s been “fooling with some different bridles” during training hours
on Mr. Z, who is coming off a troubled third-place finish in the Smarty
Jones S. on January 19. The chestnut colt opened a clear lead turning for home
in the one-mile race, but ducked out sharply when struck left-handed by Jon Court.
He also has had a habit of getting out in other races and during training
hours.
Lukas said Mr. Z was on his best behavior Wednesday, when he worked from the
half-mile pole to the wire about 10 minutes after the track opened. Clockers
caught his final quarter-mile in :22 4/5 and he galloped out five furlongs in
1:02 3/5.
“That’s about as good as I can get him,” Lukas said. “It was a pretty work,
really pretty — without incident, straight as a string. Everything’s good.”
Lukas said he also plans to start Majestico (Majesticperfection) in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest after
the bay colt worked a half-mile in :51 about five minutes before Mr. Z breezed. Terry Thompson
will ride Majestico, who exits a fifth-placing in a January 19 optional claimer
going 1 1/16 miles, while Corey Nakatani has the call on Mr. Z.
Three other Southwest probables also worked Wednesday.
Lecomte S. (G3) runner-up
War Story (Northern Afleet) recorded a bullet half-mile in :47 for trainer Tom Amoss.
The chestnut gelding,
who worked about five minutes after Mr. Z, covered his final quarter in :22 2/5
and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.
Dual stakes winner and Smarty Jones runner-up
Bayerd worked a half-mile in :51, getting his last quarter in :25, for trainer Steve
Asmussen, whose other scheduled Southwest starter, Grade 1-placed Bold Conquest
(Curlin), will work
Thursday morning.
Mr. Z, Majestico, War Story and Bayerd all worked before the renovation break.
Instant Replay (Lemon Drop Kid), another projected Southwest starter, clocked
five-eighths in
1:03 1/5 after the break for trainer Wayne Catalano. A first-level
allowance winner on January 19, he galloped out six furlongs in 1:18 1/5.
Trainer Todd Pletcher shipped J S Bach (Tale of the Cat) to Oaklawn on
Wednesday from his South Florida base for the Southwest. The bay colt has only
made two starts but his conditioner has every reason to expect he’ll handle the
class hike from the maiden ranks into graded stakes company as well as the
distance of the Southwest.
After finishing a good second by 1 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park in
December, J S Bach made a strong statement on January 17. Despite being bumped
at the start, the 4-5 favorite in the field of 12 sophomores raced to the lead
and then kicked clear through Gulfstream’s lane to graduate by an impressive 8
1/2 lengths at 1 1/6 miles.
“He did look good in his last race, and he also ran well his first time, but
five-and-a half furlongs was just a little short for him going out for his first
time,” said Pletcher, who has given the mount to his go-to rider John Velazquez.
“He definitely found his groove going two turns. He’s trained well and we’re
looking forward to it.”
Although J S Bach, who tuned up for the race with a five-furlong breeze in
1:00 4/5 at Palm Beach Downs on February 8, has yet to race anywhere but over
Gulfstream’s strip, Pletcher was unconcerned about him being able to handle the
trip to Arkansas, or the trip around Oaklawn’s oval.
“He’s a horse who seems to have trained well at Palm Beach Downs and he’s run
well at Gulfstream, so he wouldn’t act like the kind that needs to take his
track with him. We certainly hope that’s the case,” he said.
Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope listed 11 probables for the Southwest late
Wednesday morning. In addition to Mr. Z, Majestico, War Story, Bayerd, Bold
Conquest, Instant Replay and J S Bach, Grade 3-placed Smarty Jones winner Far Right
(Notional), Grade 3-placed dual stakes victor Private Prospect (Discreet Cat),
Grade 1-placed The Truth or
Else (Yes It’s True) and maiden scorer Kantune (Kantharos) are expected. Post positions for the Southwest will
be drawn Friday.
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