Noble Bird Pointing to Oaklawn Handicap

Following a five-furlong workout earlier this week at Oaklawn Park, trainer Mark Casse said John Oxley's Noble Bird continues to progress toward his first major objective this year, the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) April 16.



Noble Bird emerged as one of the country's top older horses following the 2015 Oaklawn meeting. The son of Birdstone   finished second in the May 1 Alysheba Stakes (gr. II) and took the June 13 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I), both at Churchill Downs. He is on the comeback trail after he exited a ninth-place finish in the Whitney Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course with a hip injury.

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Noble Bird's five-furlong breeze Jan. 28—his second published move this year—stopped the clock in 1:00 3/5. The 5-year-old worked a half-mile in :48 1/5 Jan. 19 at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Fla.



"We thought we would bring him back to Hot Springs, because that's where he got on his roll last year," said Casse, who has divisions in Arkansas and Florida during the winter. "He seems to like the track."



Casse said next-race plans are pending for Noble Bird, but Oaklawn's two remaining major preps for the Oaklawn Handicap are the $100,000 Essex Handicap Feb. 13 and $300,000 Razorback Handicap (gr. III) March 19. Noble Bird won an allowance/optional claimer last March at Oaklawn, then another allowance/optional claimer at Keeneland before his Churchill stint.



Casse also said Siding Spring, 10th in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Keeneland, is under consideration for the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. Siding Spring has had two five-furlong workouts this month at Oaklawn.