Oaklawn Park Notebook

OAKLAWN NOTEBOOK

FEBRUARY 17, 2005

by Mark Weatherton

Saturday's $100,000 Essex H. (G3) was run over a wet fast track. It shaped up

as a very contentious race, and six of the 10 entries had faced each other three

weeks earlier in a tune-up allowance race at a mile in preparation for the 8

1/2-furlong distance of the Essex. The runner-up that afternoon, Mauk Four

(Boston Harbor), was nailed at the finish last time, but that effort did not

impress the public, who sent him off at 11-1 in the Essex. His fate, however,

was the same, as ABSENT FRIEND (Runaway Groom) caught Mauk Four just before the

wire to score by a half-length.

The winner had prepped in two 1 1/16-mile stakes at the Fairgrounds.  Here,

under a patient ride by Roman Chapa, the gray gelding was well back early before

making a big middle move to advance through the field easily and was the only

one with a chance to catch the leader at the sixteenth pole. The issue was not

decided until deep stretch when Absent Friend wore down the leader to notch

another black-type victory for Chapa, who has now won four of the young

season's five stakes. This one came for the Cole Norman barn, which is back in

its standard Oaklawn form. The final time, a meet best 1:43 3/5, attested to the

performances of the top two.

Separato (Victory Gallop), the slight post-time betting favorite at 3-1,

rallied from last early on to get up for the show just ahead of River Mountain

Rd (Deputy Commander), who also was sent off at 3-1.

Calvin Borel brought home Crown Me Later in 4TH race on Sunday for his

3,999th winner. His 4,000th career win, which came on Wednesday in the 3RD race,

made him the 45th rider to reach the 4,000

win total.

Luis Quinonez leads all riders with 12 wins and Jeremy Rose has 10 in second

place. Borel, Tim Doocy and Jamie Theriot have nine firsts each.

Unsurprisingly, Norman has opened a lead in the trainer race. This in spite

of his pre-season statements that he did not have "the numbers or quality of

previous years." Martin Lozano has saddled six winners in only 16 starts for a

38 percent win rate, with 63 percent in the money.  Eight conditioners have

captured four races.

HORSES TO WATCH

Friday  (2/11)

6TH - RODEO'S CASTLE (Rodeo) returns to the Watch List with a nine-length

romp over entry-level allowance rivals. The Beverly Fowler trainee laid down

splits of :22 and :45 2/5 and, without any pressure in the stretch, turned six

furlong in 1:10 1/5, the best time at the distance for the day. This win gives

the four-year-old colt a career record of 5 3-2-0.

9TH - CARROLL COUNTY (Wild Rush), who bested Rodeo's Castle in his previous

start, also returns to the Watch List.  He took another step up the

allowance condition ladder and recorded a very determined victory over WILD WILD

WEST (Slewacide). The speedy Carroll County, only a head back at first call

assumed the lead, withstood pressure all the way, getting home by a half-length

to remain undefeated from three attempts. 

Wild Wild West should not be overlooked. The four-year-old has never finished

worse than second from 11 career starts and owns three wins. This was his first

outing for trainer Larry Jones and change of scenery might make the gelding a

consistent winner.

Saturday (2/12)

6TH - First-time starter SEMAPHORE MAN (Formal Gold) blew away a

maiden special weight field with a :24 1/5 final quarter, reaching the wire 9

1/4 lengths in front.

Sunday (2/13)

7TH -  The effort from TIZZY GIRL (Seneca Jones) takes on added

significance when considering that nine of the 10 races on the card were won

from well off the pace. The three-year-old filly locked up with the more

experienced European import Lady Ann Summers (Two Punch) in her debut and dueled

through fast early fractions. Trained by Steve Asmuseen, the Texas-bred filly

got the lead just after the half-mile mark and ran on to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

Tizzy Girl finished six furlongs in a very respectable 1:11 3/5.

10TH - Arkansas-bred WOW YAO (Bold Anthony) turned in his second good effort

from as many starts. In his first try, the chestnut colt finished a fast-closing

second to the odds on favorite two weeks ago. This effort started in the

same way with a poor break from the gate that left him last in the early stages.

But under deft handling by Ken Shino, the sophomore got back into the race and

pulled off down the stretch to win by 7 1/2 lengths. With better gate skills,

Wow Yao should be very tough in the restricted races and could prove

competitive against open company.