Bravazo Camp Alters Course, Aims for Oaklawn Series

Bravazo, runner-up in the 2018 Preakness Stakes (G1), breezed five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 at Oaklawn Park Jan. 7 preparing for his first start of 2020, though toward a different race than originally planned.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday the horse will bypass previously announced targets in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25 and in later races in Saudi Arabia and Dubai in favor of a stakes campaign at Oaklawn this winter. The 5-year-old son of Awesome Again, owned and bred by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm, is stabled at Oaklawn.

"In looking at the whole program and everything, rather than take on those heavyweight races right off the bat, I just think it would be better to go through this series, right here in his own stall, our own backyard, and then look for grade 1 races in the spring," Lukas said. "If we go overseas we were going to miss some of those spring races for sure. So I think it just makes sense for us to manage him in that way, and Mr. Kelley was in agreement."

Oaklawn has four major stakes races for older male routers, beginning with the $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 25 at a mile, now Lukas' planned first start of 2020 for Bravazo. The series continues with the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 17 and $350,000 Essex Handicap March 14, both at 1 1/16 miles, and then it culminates with the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 18.

Not among the original 12 invitees for the Pegasus, Bravazo was a reserve invitee, third in line to start—though he appeared positioned to make the race due to several ahead of him that are likely to decline invitations. Now his defection leaves Diamond Oops and True Timber—fourth and fifth reserves, respectively—with improved chances of making the field.

Both horses are accustomed to racing shorter distances than the 1 1/8 miles of the Pegasus. Diamond Oops won the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Dec. 21, and True Timber was a closing third in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 7.

Omaha Beach  is the expected Pegasus favorite, competing at the same distance over which he won last year's Arkansas Derby (G1).

Lukas said heightened tension in the Middle East was not a factor in the decision to opt for the Oaklawn series rather than pursue the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup or the March 28 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). He calls the new plan a conservative choice,  aimed with a long-range view.

Out for much of 2019 after having surgery to remove a chip in his left knee, Bravazo ran eighth, beaten 10 1/2 lengths, in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs in a comeback. That race followed a fourth-place finish in the slop behind City of Light  in the 2019 Pegasus.

Bravazo is 3-4-3 from 18 starts with earnings of $2,009,528. He has raced in 10 consecutive grade 1s, going back to the 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) in which he was sixth. Besides a runner-up finish behind Justify  in the 2018 Preakness, he also hit the board that year in the Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), the Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and the Clark. His last victory came in the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in February 2018.