Terra Promessa brings a five-for-five record at Oaklawn Park into Saturday’s $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) against six rivals. The Steve Asmussen-trained four-year-old has romped in her two starts thus far this season and will go for her third straight stakes win in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri.
Terra Promessa proved her love for Oaklawn as a sophomore, taking an allowance by nine lengths before posting a 6 1/2-length victory in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) and a neck score in the Fantasy Stakes (G3). She didn’t factor in her last two races of 2016, finishing 10th in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) after setting the early pace and then reappearing seven months later to be seventh in the She’s All In Handicap.
The Curlin filly has blossomed upon her return to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Just a month after the She’s All In Handicap, Terra Promessa wired the Pippin Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths on January 14. The bay miss repeated that effort in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) last out, leading all the way home to be 4 3/4 lengths clear on the wire.
Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard for the Pippin and takes back the mount in this spot.
Among those entered in the Azeri are the runner-up and third-place finisher from the Bayakoa. Power of Snunner will be making just her third start for trainer Joe Sharp on Saturday, but has already gotten off to a good start for her new barn. The seven-year-old daughter of Power By Far finished second in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park in August 2015 for trainer Tim Kreiser but wasn’t seen in competition again until showing up in the Pan Zareta Stakes on New Year’s Eve for Sharp.
Power of Snunner rallied for second in that Fair Grounds contest and parlayed the effort into another second-place finish in the Bayakoa last out at 34-1. Chris Emigh was in the pilot’s seat for the latter contest and returns to the saddle on the bay mare here.
Streamline hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since earning her first stakes victory in the 2016 Pippin for trainer Brian Williamson, but has finished in the top three in her next seven starts. The Straight Line mare just missed in last year’s Bayakoa by a neck, was third by three parts of a length in the Azeri and had the lead in the stretch of the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) before being run down by the winner and forced to settle for second.
Streamline closed out her four-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in the Falls City Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs and thus far this season has finished third in both the Pippin and Bayakoa. Chris Landeros held the reins for both those efforts, as well as last year’s Oaklawn run, and retains the mount for this second go around in the Azeri.
Eskenformoney could upset the entire race off a third in the Royal Delta Stakes (G2). That opened the Todd Pletcher trainee’s five-year-old campaign just two months after she captured the December 17 Rampart Stakes (G3). Both those start came at Gulfstream Park and Eskenformoney will be making her Oaklawn debut in this spot under jockey Javier Castellano.
Completing the Azeri field are Miss Mo Kelly, winner of the She’s All In Handicap over Terra Promessa but a well-beaten fifth in the Pippin last out; She Mabee Wild, who faded to sixth in the Pippin before returning last month to wire an allowance/optional claimer; and Tiger Moth, winner of an allowance/optional claimer over track and distance on January 22.
One race after the Azeri, a field of eight four-year olds and up will take to the track in the $250,000 Essex Handicap.
Grade 1 hero Mor Spirit ships in from California for trainer Bob Baffert after opening his four-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) on February 4. The dark bay ridgling will be trying Oaklawn for the first time under jockey Mike Smith.
Dazzling Gem is also shipping in for the Essex, but the Brad Cox charge is no stranger to Oaklawn. The four-year-old son of Misremembered actually broke his maiden and took an allowance at the track to open his career before finishing fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) two races later. The bay colt began 2017 with a pair of close finishes at Fair Grounds when second in the Louisiana Stakes and third in the Mineshaft Handicap (G3). Shaun Bridgmohan has the call.
Domain’s Rap, third in the Razorback Handicap (G3) last out, and Madefromlucky, third in the Poseidon Handicap most recently, line up in the 8 1/2-furlong Essex, as does Shotgun Kowboy, who is riding a two-race win streak over track and distance.
Dalmore, third in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) but sixth in the San Antonio in his past two; Maxxam Gold Cup runner-up Fear the Cowboy; and Secret Passage, who exits an allowance/optional claiming win over track and distance, round out the Essex field.
