Stakes Advance - Razorback & Carousel
Compiled by Robert Yates
Oaklawn’s $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) drew an evenly matched of 14, including Grade 3 winner Skinner for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
The Razorback (Race 10) is one of five stakes races on Oaklawn’s 12-race, Rebel Stakes Day card originally scheduled for Saturday but shifted to Sunday because of freezing temperatures. First race post time Sunday is 12:00 p.m. CST.
Skinner (6-1) will be making his second start for DeVaux after previously been based in Southern California with trainer John Shirreffs. DeVaux said the Razorback is Skinner’s audition for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles April 19.
“We just want to see where he fits, and if he likes the track, that would be our target for him,” DeVaux said.
Skinner, in his first start outside California, ran third in the $175,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds. Skinner was among the West Coast’s top Kentucky Derby prospects in 2023 – he was beaten a half-length in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) – and scored his first career stakes victory in the $100,000 Native Diver (G3) at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 23 at Del Mar.
“He’s doing really well,” DeVaux said. “Came out of his last race and trained forwardly. We didn’t have him all that long, prior to his start. Hoping he puts in another good effort for us. His (speed) figures are kind of steady where they are, but I think there’s room for improvement as he matures and he has matured.”
3Millionaire multiple graded stakes winner First Mission (5-1) tries to shake the rust of a near-seven-month layoff for trainer Brad Cox. First Mission, a 5-year-old Street Sense homebred for powerful Godolphin, is unraced since finishing seventh in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Aug. 3 at Saratoga.
“He just needed time off,” Cox said. “He was a flat horse. He just needed to go home and eat grass and that’s what he did.”
First Mission returned to the work tab Dec. 8 at Fair Grounds and has nine more published breezes there, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.60 Feb. 15. First Mission was a dominant winner of his only Oaklawn start, scoring by five lengths in the $600,000 Essex Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles last March. First Mission, in his next start, won the $750,000 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles in May at Churchill Downs before being sent home after fizzling in the Whitney.
“He’s training really well,” Cox said. “Obviously, he’s proven over the racetrack. I’m excited about getting him started.”
First Mission is one of four Oaklawn stakes winners entered in the Razorback. Millionaire multiple graded stakes winner Red Route One (15-1) captured the $200,000 Bathhouse Row for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles in 2023 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Seize the Night (20-1) won the $175,000 Tinsel for older horses at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 5 for trainer Eddie Milligan Jr.
Red Route One, in his last start, finished a non-threatening fourth in the Tinsel after falling 18 lengths behind through the opening half-mile.
“Too far back,” Asmussen said. “I think the term you’re looking for is equinely impossible to win from there.”
Seize the Night looks to rebound from a seventh-place finish in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses at 1 mile Jan. 25 at Oaklawn. Seize the Night drew post 14 for the Razorback.
“Fourteen hole is going to be a tough task for him,” said Milligan, who trains Seize the Night for Arkansan Kevin Horton (Willis Horton Racing). “Hopefully, he’s got enough speed to put himself in a good position away from there and not get hung too wide and see what happens after that.”
Seize the Night was a two-turn allowance winner in 2022 and 2023 at Oaklawn when with Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
“The effort was good,” Milligan said of the Fifth Season. “I think there were a few situations during that race that just didn’t let him actually show up like he normally does. Hopefully, he’ll be there this (Sunday).”
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher seeks his record-tying fifth Razorback victory with millionaire Grade 2 winner Crupi (6-1). Crupi, in his last start, finished seventh in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
The 7-2 program favorite for the Razorback is Banishing, who exits a powerful 7 ½-length victory in the $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes at six furlongs Jan. 23 at Oaklawn for co-owner/trainer David Jacobson.
Unbeaten Baddest Good Boy (9-2) is making his stakes debut for trainer Norm Casse.
$150,000 CAROUSEL
Justique, who has done her best work sprinting, bids for her second career stakes victory in the six-furlong Carousel, which is a major local prep for the $250,000 Matron Stakes at 6 furlongs March 29.
Justique, the 5-2 program favorite, will be making her second start for trainer Cherie DeVaux after previously being based in Southern California, where she had string of two-turn grass races for trainer John Shirreffs. Justique exits a sharp 3 ¼-length allowance victory at six furlongs Jan. 2 at Fair Grounds.
“What we really did was just go back to what she was successful at,” DeVaux said. “She kind of struck me as a filly that wanted to go a little bit farther, like 7 (furlongs) to a one-turn mile. So, that could definitely be in the future for her. Right now, there’s not a lot of those races available.”
Justique was a last-to-first winner of her 5 ½-furlong career debut in July 2022 at Del Mar. She won the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs later that year at Del Mar.
DeVaux said Justique, with a strong performance Sunday, will be considered for the seven-furlong $650,000 Madison Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares April 5 at Keeneland.
The Carousel also drew Benedetta (3-1), who is seeking her fifth consecutive victory for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Kaleem Shah. Benedetta won the six-furlong $150,000 American Beauty Stakes Feb. 1 at Oaklawn in her 4-year-old debut.
Benedetta gets 2024 Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat for the Carousel, but she will be carrying equal top weight of 124 pounds (5 more than Justique) and drew the rail.
“Giving weight to a competitive field’s concerning,” Asmussen said. “Drawing 1 of 9 is concerning. But her winning four in a row and where her confidence level is, is comforting.”
Lady Moscato (7-2) exits a three-length victory in the $145,000 Bugler Overnight Stakes at six furlongs Jan. 25 at Oaklawn for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Stakes-winning Sandy Bottom (9-2) will be making her first start outside California for trainer Michael McCarthy. American Band (10-1) was an upset winner of the 2024 Matron for owner/trainer John Haran.
