Jace's Road Continues Triple Crown Prep in Southwest
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Jace's Road wins the 2022 Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds
After his victory in the 2022 Gun Runner Stakes last out which awarded 10 qualifying points toward the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Jace's Road returns Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park for a shot at the Southwest Stakes (G3)—the next in line of the Triple Crown prep races at the Hot Springs oval.
The 3-year-old son of Quality Road began his career in August of 2022 with a 6 1/4-length score in a maiden special weight at Ellis Park. He followed that with a solid third-place effort in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) a month later at Churchill Downs.
Back in Louisville at the end of October, Jace's Road went out as the 2-1 favorite in the Street Sense Stakes (G3) but finished off the board a dull eighth. The slump did not last when the colt soared to a front-running victory in his next start Dec. 26 in the Gun Runner to close out his 2022 season on a triumphant note.
Conditioned by Brad Cox, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables out of the stakes-placed Silver Deputy mare Out Post. He is campaigned by Albaugh Family Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds, who purchased him in partnership for $510,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
From his four starts, he has earned $126,800 for his connections.
Also entered is Kenny McPeek trainee Frosted Departure , who comes to the Southwest fresh off of a win in the Dec. 31 Renaissance Stakes over Oaklawn's main track.
The Frosted colt's record reflects only two other wins including a maiden special weight at Ellis and an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill. His other runs in stakes company include a fourth in both the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes and Advent Stakes, a seventh-place finish in the Street Sense, and a third in the Ed Brown Stakes.
He is owned in partnership by C&H Diamond Racing and Magdalena Racing. Most recently, the colt was a $100,000 purchase by McPeek from the Blandford Stud consignment to the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. From nine starts, his earnings sit at $246,711.
Others in the field include the Florida-bred Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Corona Bolt as well as allowance optional claiming winner Hit Show . Both will be sent out from Cox's shed row.
"He’s got speed," Cox said of Corona Bolt. "He’s a very fast horse."
Completing the nine-horse lineup is Bob Baffert trainee Arabian Knight , Sun Thunder conditioned by McPeek, D. Wayne Lukas trainee Western Ghent , grade 1-placed Red Route One , and Miguel Silva trainee El Tomate .
"It's ideal to give them two races short and then stretch them out," Baffert said of the lightly raced Arabian Knight, who will be making his second career start in the Rebel and first start around two turns coming off a dominating debut victory last fall on Breeders' Cup Championship Saturday at Keeneland. "But the way the timing is for him, he's doing really well right now, sometimes you have to trust your quarterback that he can throw the long ball. I think his athleticism, sometimes, makes up for a lot of it. If you're going to stretch them out, let's run him with some nice horses and see how he can handle adversity and stuff.
"If he runs well, if the distance isn’t too much for him, if he gets tired—we’ll sort of see where we stand with him," Baffert continued. "We'll find out how he stacks up against these. It's a good field. It's always tough at Oaklawn. The weather looks good. That's a big factor."
The Southwest will award qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale. Should Arabian Knight finish in the top four, he will be ineligible to earn any points due to a rule from Churchill Downs Inc. that does not award points to any horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
Undefeated Olivia Twist Meets Defining Purpose in Martha Washington
Earlier on the card, sophomore fillies will run on a similar 40-point scale in the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes going 1 1/16 miles. The Martha Washington, captured by Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Oath last year, is the first leg in Oaklawn's series of three Oaks prep races.
This year's edition appears to be a showdown between the undefeated Olivia Twist and Defining Purpose , a runaway victress of the Dec. 31 $150,000 Year's End Stakes here at Hot Springs.
Owned by G. Chris Coleman, Olivia Twist will make her first start outside of Remington Park on Saturday. The daughter of Mshawish is a perfect 3-for-3 at Remington Park, including a last-out score in the Dec. 17 Trapeze Stakes over the mile trip. Christian Torres has the mount for trainer Todd Fincher.
McPeek-trained Defining Purpose, fifth in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) in her stakes debut two starts back, will look to keep her momentum going in the Martha Washington. David Cabrera retains the mount on the Cross Traffic filly, who is owned in partnership by Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), James Ball, and her breeder, Colette Marie VanMatre.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, January 28, 2023, Race 10Entries: Southwest S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Sun Thunder (KY)
David Cabrera
117
Kenneth G. McPeek
10/1
2
2Corona Bolt (FL)
Flavien Prat
117
Brad H. Cox
6/1
3
3Jace's Road (KY)
Joseph Talamo
119
Brad H. Cox
4/1
4
4Western Ghent (KY)
Cristian A. Torres
117
D. Wayne Lukas
20/1
5
5Frosted Departure (KY)
Francisco Arrieta
117
Kenneth G. McPeek
15/1
6
6Arabian Knight (KY)
John R. Velazquez
117
Bob Baffert
1/1
7
7Red Route One (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
117
Steven M. Asmussen
10/1
8
8Hit Show (KY)
Manuel Franco
119
Brad H. Cox
10/1
9
9El Tomate (KY)
Orlando Mojica
117
Miguel Angel Silva
30/1
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, January 28, 2023, Race 10Entries: Southwest S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Sun Thunder (KY)
David Cabrera
117
Kenneth G. McPeek
10/1
2
2Corona Bolt (FL)
Flavien Prat
117
Brad H. Cox
6/1
3
3Jace's Road (KY)
Joseph Talamo
119
Brad H. Cox
4/1
4
4Western Ghent (KY)
Cristian A. Torres
117
D. Wayne Lukas
20/1
5
5Frosted Departure (KY)
Francisco Arrieta
117
Kenneth G. McPeek
15/1
6
6Arabian Knight (KY)
John R. Velazquez
117
Bob Baffert
1/1
7
7Red Route One (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
117
Steven M. Asmussen
10/1
8
8Hit Show (KY)
Manuel Franco
119
Brad H. Cox
10/1
9
9El Tomate (KY)
Orlando Mojica
117
Miguel Angel Silva
30/1