Oscar Performance Seeks Return to Form in American Turf
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Photo: Dave Harmon
Oscar Performance winning Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Oscar Performance will seek a return to his winning ways, but faces a salty field in the $300,000 American Turf Stakes Presented by Ram Trucks (G2T) May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Amerman Racing Stables’ Oscar Performance ran up a three-race win streak as a freshman, including a score in the Pilgrim Stakes (G3T) before the Breeders’ Cup, which is significant because the Pilgrim was over yielding ground at Belmont Park and rain is expected in the Louisville forecast leading up to Saturday.
Oscar Performance returned to action this year but broke slowly and tired in the Transylvania (G3T) to finish fifth.
"He needed that last race," said trainer Brian Lynch. "He wasn’t fully cranked and got a little eager in behind horses and came up empty. He’s coming up to this one much better and is training great."
Big Score, who is back for the American Turf, won the Transylvania with a late move between horses for his second stakes score. He also won the Zuma Beach at Santa Anita Park last year. In between he came in fifth behind Oscar Performance in the Breeders’ Cup. Good Samaritan finished third in the Juvenile Turf and will be making his first start since in the American Turf.
WINCZE HUGHES: Big Score Makes Huge Impression in Transylvania
La Coronel will try to beat males in the American Turf after the filly took the Appalachian Stakes (G3T) last time out for owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse.
"We’ve started making plans to take her back to Royal Ascot," Casse said. "That’s one reason I’m running her against the colts. If she can’t beat the colts here, or at least run well against them, she doesn’t need to go to Ascot."
WINCZE HUGHES: La Coronel Much the Best in Appalachiana
Holiday Stone drew the rail after just missing in the Transylvania and Conquest Farenheit invades from California. Conquest Farenheit won in gate-to-wire fashion going a mile last out in the Pasadena Stakes and won the Baffle Stakes on "good" turf coming down the hill at Santa Anita two starts back.
Kitten's Cat won the stakes named after his sire, Kitten's Joy , at Gulfstream Park this season and then just missed to Ticonderoga in the Palm Beach Stakes (G3T). He moved to synthetic last time out and ran fourth in the JACK Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (G3). Arklow, after racing as a maiden in the LeComte Stakes (G3) and the Risen Star Stakes (G2), was shifted to the lawn and broke his maiden going nine furlongs at Keeneland.
Made You Look shifted to dirt last time out but stopped in the Fountain of Youth (G2). He was just fine on the grass at Saratoga Race Course last summer, when he won the With Anticipation Stakes (G2T), and followed that up with a Dania Beach Stakes (G3T) win at Gulfstream in January.
American Turf S. Presented by Ram Trucks (G2T)
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 06, 2017, Race 9
- 1 1/16m
- Turf
- $300,000
- 3 yo
- 3:37 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Holiday Stone (KY) |
Jose Lezcano | 118 | George Weaver | 15/1 |
| 2 | 2Big Score (KY) | Javier Castellano | 120 | Tim Yakteen | 6/1 |
| 3 | 3Parlor (KY) |
Julien R. Leparoux | 118 | Eddie Kenneally | 20/1 |
| 4 | 4Oscar Performance (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | 123 | Brian A. Lynch | 7/2 |
| 5 | 5Kitten's Cat (KY) | Luis Saez | 118 | Joe Sharp | 5/1 |
| 6 | 6Arklow (KY) |
Mike E. Smith | 118 | Brad H. Cox | 12/1 |
| 7 | 7Conquest Farenheit (KY) |
Flavien Prat | 118 | Peter Miller | 5/1 |
| 8 | 8Ritzy A. P. (KY) | Victor Espinoza | 118 | Dan Blacker | 30/1 |
| 9 | 9Made You Look (KY) |
John R. Velazquez | 123 | Todd A. Pletcher | 6/1 |
| 10 | 10Good Samaritan (KY) | Joel Rosario | 123 | William I. Mott | 5/1 |
| 11 | 11La Coronel (KY) |
Florent Geroux | 115 | Mark E. Casse | 8/1 |