Southwest hopefuls out in force

Five projected starters for Monday's $300,000 Southwest S. (G3) completed

their final major preparations Wednesday morning over the fast track at Oaklawn

Park, including Mr. Z,

who worked a half-mile in :49 1/5 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Lukas said he's been "fooling with some different bridles" during training hours

on Mr. Z, who is coming off a troubled third-place finish in the Smarty

Jones S. on January 19. The chestnut colt opened a clear lead turning for home

in the one-mile race, but ducked out sharply when struck left-handed by Jon Court.

He also has had a habit of getting out in other races and during training

hours.

Lukas said Mr. Z was on his best behavior Wednesday, when he worked from the

half-mile pole to the wire about 10 minutes after the track opened. Clockers

caught his final quarter-mile in :22 4/5 and he galloped out five furlongs in

1:02 3/5.

"That's about as good as I can get him," Lukas said. "It was a pretty work,

really pretty -- without incident, straight as a string. Everything's good."

Lukas said he also plans to start Majestico (Majesticperfection) in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest after

the bay colt worked a half-mile in :51 about five minutes before Mr. Z breezed. Terry Thompson

will ride Majestico, who exits a fifth-placing in a January 19 optional claimer

going 1 1/16 miles, while Corey Nakatani has the call on Mr. Z.

Three other Southwest probables also worked Wednesday.

Lecomte S. (G3) runner-up

War Story (Northern Afleet) recorded a bullet half-mile in :47 for trainer Tom Amoss.

The chestnut gelding,

who worked about five minutes after Mr. Z, covered his final quarter in :22 2/5

and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.

Dual stakes winner and Smarty Jones runner-up

Bayerd worked a half-mile in :51, getting his last quarter in :25, for trainer Steve

Asmussen, whose other scheduled Southwest starter, Grade 1-placed Bold Conquest

(Curlin), will work

Thursday morning.

Mr. Z, Majestico, War Story and Bayerd all worked before the renovation break.

Instant Replay (Lemon Drop Kid), another projected Southwest starter, clocked

five-eighths in

1:03 1/5 after the break for trainer Wayne Catalano. A first-level

allowance winner on January 19, he galloped out six furlongs in 1:18 1/5.

Trainer Todd Pletcher shipped J S Bach (Tale of the Cat) to Oaklawn on

Wednesday from his South Florida base for the Southwest. The bay colt has only

made two starts but his conditioner has every reason to expect he'll handle the

class hike from the maiden ranks into graded stakes company as well as the

distance of the Southwest.

After finishing a good second by 1 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park in

December, J S Bach made a strong statement on January 17. Despite being bumped

at the start, the 4-5 favorite in the field of 12 sophomores raced to the lead

and then kicked clear through Gulfstream's lane to graduate by an impressive 8

1/2 lengths at 1 1/6 miles.

"He did look good in his last race, and he also ran well his first time, but

five-and-a half furlongs was just a little short for him going out for his first

time," said Pletcher, who has given the mount to his go-to rider John Velazquez.

"He definitely found his groove going two turns. He's trained well and we're

looking forward to it."

Although J S Bach, who tuned up for the race with a five-furlong breeze in

1:00 4/5 at Palm Beach Downs on February 8, has yet to race anywhere but over

Gulfstream's strip, Pletcher was unconcerned about him being able to handle the

trip to Arkansas, or the trip around Oaklawn's oval.

"He's a horse who seems to have trained well at Palm Beach Downs and he's run

well at Gulfstream, so he wouldn't act like the kind that needs to take his

track with him. We certainly hope that's the case," he said.

Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope listed 11 probables for the Southwest late

Wednesday morning. In addition to Mr. Z, Majestico, War Story, Bayerd, Bold

Conquest, Instant Replay and J S Bach, Grade 3-placed Smarty Jones winner Far Right

(Notional), Grade 3-placed dual stakes victor Private Prospect (Discreet Cat),

Grade 1-placed The Truth or

Else (Yes It's True) and maiden scorer Kantune (Kantharos) are expected. Post positions for the Southwest will

be drawn Friday.

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