Barn Notes 1/3/25
Compiled by Robert Yates
Last Sunday’s Oaklawn program exclusively for 2-year-olds was twice as nice for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Lukas won two $110,000 maiden special weight events with seasoned runners, taking the third race with favored Innovator ($3.60) and the 10th and final race with favored American Promise ($4.60). The victories were the first for Lukas on an all-2-year-old card at Oaklawn since the format debuted in 2022.
“It’s OK,” Lukas, 89, deadpanned during training hours Friday morning. “We’re going to run them anyhow, so run them all in one day. That’s great.”
Apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon, 17, rode Innovator and American Promise, both front-running winners (a head and 1 ½ lengths, respectively, over a muddy surface), for Lukas and owners John Bellinger and Brian Coelho (BC Stables).
American Promise, a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, was making his sixth start and first since finishing fourth, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Monet’s Magic, in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs. Monet’s Magic returned to win Sunday’s eighth race at Oaklawn, a $130,000 allowance at one mile, for trainer Ben Colebrook.
American Promise, a $750,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, debuted sprinting July 27 at Saratoga against Chancer McPatrick, one of the nation’s leading 2-year-olds.
“He keeps me awake at nights,” Lukas said of American Promise. “He’s a big horse and he’s just now starting to get his coordination together and figuring out what we want him to do. His stride and everything has changed lately. These big horses, if you push them early, it confuses the hell out of them. So, you’ve got to let them develop a little bit. Kind of like your kids. You only ask so much of them.”
Lukas said American Promise will be pointed to the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races.
Innovator was making his seventh start and first since finishing second as the 1-2 favorite in the $150,000 Advent Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs Dec. 6 at Oaklawn. From the first crop of Authentic, the 2020 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner, Innovator was a $900,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase.
Innovator had also run second three other times while competing against some of the country’s most promising 2-year-olds, including Chancer McPatrick, Ferocious, Tough Catch, Owen Almighty, Sandman and Barnes. Unlike American Promise (three races at 1 1/16 miles and two at one mile), the speedy Innovator has never raced around two turns.
“I want to stretch the other horse out, Innovator,” Lukas said. “I want to stretch him out and get two turns. There’s some opportunities for me to run him short again. You wonder if I shouldn’t take that one. It’s right there in front of you. But I definitely want to get him stretched out. I may even send him out of town.”
Lukas said Innovator could resurface in a Kentucky Derby points race.
“He’s very fast, but he’s bred to go two turns,” Lukas said. “He just happens to be fast and we’ve shortened him up. He just kind of fell into that style with his ability. But there’s no reason for that horse not to go two turns.”
In addition to American Promise, locally based Sandman and Speed King are also pointing for the Southwest. Authentic Gallop, a Dec. 13 Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate, is under consideration for the Southwest, trainer Tom Amoss said.
Finish Lines
Arrogates Spirit ($7.60) represented the first career Oaklawn victory for trainer Kent Sweezey. The Dec. 27 race was for $8,000 claimers at 1 1/16 miles. Sweezey has a string at Oaklawn for the first time this season. Arrogates Spirit is a half-brother to champion and seven-time Oaklawn stakes winner Whitmore. … Horace Mann is the 5-2 program favorite for the $175,000 Tinsel Stakes for older horses Sunday at Oaklawn. The 1 1/8-mile race was postponed from Dec. 28 because of weather. … “Oaklawn Raceday,” hosted by Justin Acri and David Longinotti, Director of Oaklawn Anywhere, and Equibase representative Jeff Taylor, can be heard Saturdays 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (Central) during the 2024-2025 meeting on Little Rock, Ark., radio station KABZ-FM 103.7 and www.1037thebuzz.com. Trainer Peter Miller is Saturday’s guest.
