Oaklawn Park Notebook

OAKLAWN NOTEBOOK

MARCH 23, 2005

by Mark Weatherton

The long awaited and much anticipated $250,000 Rebel S. (G3), billed as the match up of the

top three-year-olds on the grounds, finally came about. The outcome was full of

surprises as GREATER GOOD (Intidab) proved best, Rockport Harbor (Unbridled's

Song) overcame a layoff and injuries, Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet) finished

last and Batson Challenge (Ide), whose most impressive victory was over entry

level allowance foes, fared much better than expected.

Greater Good's victory was not as surprising as the fact that he led briefly

and remained forwardly placed through the first furlong. In his last four

starts, he was last at first call three times and next to last in the other.

After breaking on top in the Rebel, he sat only a half-length off the lead by

the time the field reach the quarter pole. Regular rider John McKee managed to

settle Greater Good into third on the backstretch, dropping back about seven or

eight lengths before running down the leaders in the lane. Greater Good

regained the lead a few yards before the wire, winning by a half-length with a

final time of 1:44 4/5 seconds.

The victory extended the Bob Holthus trainee's win streak to three and also

was his third graded stakes trophy.  In statements early in the season,

Holthus had expressed the belief that the colt would get better as the distances

increased. He must be feeling good now with 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G2) next

on the dance card.

Rockport Harbor, who had not run since his Remson S. (G2) victory last

November and had been struggling to overcome problems with two different hooves,

was thought not to be at peak conditioning. John Servis proclaimed him to be

"maybe 80 to 85 percent ready" because of missed training days and as late as

Wednesday, his participation remained in doubt given the chance that he would

not be recovered enough to run on Saturday. Thus, his performance

exceeded expectations for many and appeared to set him up perfectly for the

Arkansas Derby.

After breaking badly and bouncing off a couple of horses, Rockport Harbor

sprinted to the lead and began to draw off from his rivals into the backstretch

even though it appeared Stewart Elliot had a strong hold on him. The gray colt

laid down good fractions and looked strong and fluid. If he was only 85 percent

on Saturday, Rockport Harbor will be a handful next time.

Afleet Alex also looked good early on but obviously experienced a problem and

quickly fell to the back on the far turn. He reportedly suffered from a lung

infection that interfered with his breathing. The prognosis is good for a quick

recovery and Afleet Alex should be at full strength for the rematch.

Another real surprise was the strong performance of Batson Challenge. While

he did have two trips over the ground at Oaklawn, the colt's best BRIS Speed

figure was lowest of any entrant. You certainly can not accuse Peter Vestal of

dodging the big boys after choosing this spot for the colt's first try against

stakes company. Batson Challenge's effort was a mirror image of Greater Good as

he raced up front early before settling in midpack and then coming with a late

run. The bay colt was able to move to second ahead of Greater Good at about the

mile pole but was out-kicked late to be beaten by about three lengths. He's probably

earned another shot at these in three weeks.

On Sunday, the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee S. for three year old fillies proved to

be confirmation of the advance billing for ROUND POND (Awesome Again), the

"other" horse on the grounds trained by Servis and owned by Richard Porter. She

looked every inch the champion as she pressed the pace through three-quarters

then moved to the lead and pulled away to win by more than five lengths. The

final time, 1:45, was only a fifth of a second slower that the boys had run the

day before.

Rugula (Bernstein) battled the eventual winner until late and was best of

the rest, four lengths ahead of Southern (Southern Halo) in third. Martha

Washington S. winner Isabell's Shoes (King of Kings [Ire]) was presumed to be

the major competition in the Round Pond, but she could not keep up in the

stretch after battling the top two in the early stages and finished a

disappointing fifth.

In other major news, Tim Doocy brought home his 4,500th winner in the 10TH

race on Sunday. The 49-year-old Minnesota native, a two time riding champion at

Oaklawn in 1998 and 1999, is having another good year at the Spa with 25 wins.

Calvin Borel and Roman Chapa are tied at the top with 32 victories apiece and

are followed closely by Jamie Theriot, John McKee, Luis Quinonez, Jeremy Rose

and Doocy.

The conditioners standings are essentially the same from last week with Cole

Norman far in front. Holthus, Steve Asmussen and several others are locked in a

battle for second.

HORSES TO WATCH 

Friday (3/18)

9TH - David Vance brought MY TRUSTY CAT (Tale of the Cat) back to the races

after a four-month freshener and the speedy mare easily handled a field of

allowance types. She cruised six furlongs in 1:11 under a hand ride by Don Pettinger and looks ready to return to the stakes wars.

10TH - HUMBLE CHRIS (Forever Dancer) earned a win with a typical strong

finishing rush. He covered the last five-sixteenths of a furlong in 31 1/5

seconds.  New pilot Rose kept him much closer to the pace, only eight

lengths back at first call rather than the 19-length deficit he faced last out,

enabling the gray to get home first.

Saturday (3/19) 

5TH - GIN REAL OFFICER (Go for Gin) took 18 tries to break his maiden, but

the five-year-old roan gelding has now won two of three starts this year at

Oaklawn. He controlled the pace here to beat a tough field of $40k claimers by

four lengths, covering 8 1/2 furlongs in 1:45 1/5 seconds.

Sunday (3/20)

10TH - SHASTA T (Forestry) is an improving filly from the Steve hobby string

who put it together here when cutting back to six furlongs. The chestnut used a

very strong rush to move from last to first over the last quarter mile and

earned her first win (Doocy's 4,500th) in five starts. She turned in a 1:11 3/5

to get up by a length over SUTTON'S BAY (Exploit), who should also not be

overlooked as she was nine lengths better than the rest of the field.