Unraced since finishing ninth in the Preakness (G1), Concert Tour will return to action in Saturday’s $150,000 Fifth Season S. at Oaklawn Park. The multiple Grade 2-winning colt tops a field of nine in the mile test.
The Gary & Mary West homebred will make his first start for new trainer Brad Cox, and Joel Rosario has the call.
Concert Tour won his first three starts, including the Rebel S. (G2) at Oaklawn, for previous trainer Bob Baffert. His winning ways came to an end last spring, finishing third as the odds-on favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1), and he headed to the sidelines after being well-beaten in the Preakness.
By Street Sense, Concert Tour will race without blinkers for the initial time. The bay four-year-old has been installed as the 5-2 favorite on the morning line.
Mucho is listed as the 7-2 second choice. After notching his first stakes victory last summer, the son of Blame carried his form forward for John Ortiz, recording a pair of close seconds and a third in the Phoenix S. (G2) at Keeneland. The six-year-old exits a nice allowance tally at Oaklawn Park in mid-December, and he should be forwardly-placed during the early stages with Florent Geroux.
Reformed claimer Thomas Shelby, who has won three of his last four starts, will show speed from his innermost post with David Cohen. The Robertino Diordoro-trained gelding exits a close second in the Dec. 18 Tinsel S. over a muddy Oaklawn track.
Necker Island, a two-time winner at a mile, will stretch back out in distance following a couple of solid efforts sprinting. Winner of the six-furlong Bet on Sunshine S. at Churchill Downs two back, Necker Island experienced a troubled trip when checking in fourth as the favorite most recently in the Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Classic S. at Fair Grounds. Francisco Arrieta rides for Chris Hartman.
Steve Asmussen has entered Grade 2 scorer Silver Prospector, winner of last year’s Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn, and three-time stakes victor Snapper Sinclair. Ricardo Santana Jr. will be up on Silver Prospector, who will make his first appearance since a third in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) last May, and Ramon Vasquez will guide Snapper Sinclair.
