Ginobili Aims to Score in Oaklawn Park Allowance

After volleying with Nadal in the Feb. 9 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park—finishing second, beaten three-quarters of a length—Ginobili travels for a road game April 5 at Oaklawn Park to race against a deep, talented cast in a $61,000 first-level allowance optional claiming race.

Though distance limitations prevent the 3-year-old Munnings  colt from being deemed a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prospect, he is a high-quality runner. Last summer at Del Mar, he beat Derby hopeful Honor A. P. in a maiden race for trainer Richard Baltas, who co-owns him with Slam Dunk Racing, Jerry McClanahan, and Michael Nentwig.

The San Vicente was the fastest performance of Ginobili's five-race career, earning him a 106 Equibase Speed Figure. A head in front of Nadal for six furlongs of the seven-furlong race—setting fractions of :21.81, :44.09, and 1:09.05—he weakened slightly as Nadal finished in 1:22.59. Ginobili finished in front of four others, including juvenile champion Storm the Court. 

Nadal returned to win the March 14 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn, and Storm the Court was third behind Authentic and Honor A. P. in the March 7 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

Thoroughbred racing in California is suspended because of COVID-19. Nick Cosato, the managing partner of Slam Dunk Racing, said the partners had long eyed Oaklawn, where Baltas also has a small stable.

"We were going to wait for the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn on April 25," he said. "But the combination of him absolutely tearing the barn down, doing so well, and feeling so good, and that race being weeks way, we said, 'You know what, we better get on it, take care of him, and race while we're still racing because who knows where we will be three weeks from now.'"

David Cohen will ride the 5-2 morning-line favorite from post 3 in the six-furlong dirt race.

Though the Slam Dunk Racing partnership races primarily in California, it is busy this week at Oaklawn, one of a limited number of tracks still in operation during the pandemic, albeit without spectators. Slam Dunk won a starter allowance there April 3 with the Brad Cox-trained Jewel Thief, and it has the Baltas-trained Stackin Silver in the eighth race April 4 as co-owners with McClanahan and Nentwig.

Though Ginobili drops from a stakes race, victory is not a certainty Sunday. Three rivals are last-out winners—Big Returns, The Great Dansky, and Katzarelli—and another pair, American Butterfly and Marvin, were runners-up in allowances in their previous starts.

The race also includes Nucky, who beat Ginobili when scoring a 35-1 upset in last year's Del Mar Futurity (G1) for owner Rockingham Ranch and trainer Peter Miller. Soundly beaten in four starts since, the Ghostzapper  colt is eligible by starting for an $80,000 claiming price under the race's optional claiming conditions.