Cupid Wins Rebel Stakes, Untapable Second in Azeri…

THE WEEKEND WRAP UP

March 19th – 20th

Cupid Goes Wire-To-Wire in Rebel Stakes

Oaklawn Park had no trouble filling the $900,000 Gr. 2 Rebel Stakes this year, sending the 1 1/16th mile race off with a full field of 14, the maximum number of horses they could allow. For the sixth time in the last seven years, the Bob Baffert entrant had no trouble finding the winner’s circle and, in Cupid’s case, wonderful weather.

The lightly raced son of Tapit had regular rider Martin Garcia in the irons and the pair shot to the lead ahead of Siding Spring to take the field through the opening quarter in :22.96. Nobody went with Cupid despite some trainers hopes, letting the colt go a half mile in :46.82. In the stretch, Cupid and Garcia held a clear lead, but grade three placed Whitmore launched his attack coming out of the stretch. It looked as though Whitmore was going to take over as he challenged for the lead, but Cupid gained another wind and separated from the company easily to win by a length and a quarter.. His final time for the race was 1:43.84.

The Rebel was the fourth start – and first stakes attempt – for Cupid, who now has two wins and a third from four starts and earnings of $587,500. He earned 50 points from the Road to the Kentucky Derby race while Whitmore, Creator, and Cherry Wine earned 20-10-5 respectively.

Baffert plans to have Cupid return to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby next month.

Payouts
Cupid $7.80 $5.00 $3.80
Whitmore —- $5.20 $4.00
Creator ———– $4.80
Cherry Wine

$1 Superfecta $860.20

Call Pat Outruns Untapable Late in Azeri

There were moments through the stretch where it looked as though champion mare Untapable, who was making her first start since last October, was going to be able to make her return a victorious one. Miller Racing’s Call Pat was having none of that, closing powerfully to beat Untapable by a neck in a thrilling edition of the $350,000 Gr. 3 Azeri Stakes.

Call Pat drew the rail spot for the 1 1/16th mile race, but the mare, under regular rider Joe Rocco Jr., was content to settle toward the pack of the pack. High Dollar Woman shot off for the lead, followed closely by Sarah Sis. Untapable was last out of the gate but made up ground quickly to sit in third through a quarter in :23.11 and a half in :47.83. In the second turn, Untapable challenged the leader and took over for a brief time through the lane. Call Pat was still at the back of the pack when the field left the turn, but that would change quickly enough as Rocco asked her to go. The 6-year-old mare closed in powerful fashion, getting up just in time for the neck victory in a final time of 1:44.44.

The Azeri was the second start of the year for Call Pat, and the daughter of Lawyer Ron came into it off a win in the Gr. 3 Bayakoa Stakes on February 14. The April 15 Apple Blossom is the next target for both Call Pat and Untapable. Call Pat now boasts a record of 7 wins, 5 seconds, and 5 thirds from 30 starts, and earnings of $614,589.

Payouts
Call Pat $12.20 $3.40 $2.40
Untapable —– $2.40 $2.10
Streamline ———- $3.60
theogony

$1 Superfecta $210.20

Upstart Back To Winning Ways in Razorback H.

Upstart began 2016 the same way he began 2015: winning. The 4-year-old ridgling ran five-wide in the stretch to overcome determined company in Domain’s Rap and Idolo Porteno, edging clear to take the $350,000 Gr. 3 Razorback Handicap by a length.

Jockey Joe Bravo flew into Oaklawn to ride Upstart. The pair settled in seventh position as Shotgun Kowboy took the lead and guided the field through a quarter in :23.15 and a half mile in :47.5. There the son of Flatter began to rally, going wide early in the far turn. He continued on his path four to five wide and dueled briefly with Domain’s Rap. The latter was all out trying to defeat Upstart and settled a length back in second. The final time for the 1 1/16th mile race was 1:44.12.

The Razorback marks the third stakes win of his career for Upstart, who is trained by Rick Violette Jr. His record was boosted to 4 wins, 3 seconds, and two seconds from 12 starts. His earnings now stand at $1,460,280.

Upstart paid $7.20 to win, $4.80 to place, and $4.40 to show.

Stonetastic Fantastic in Inside Information

Stoneway Farm’s 5-year-old Stonetastic took the lead shortly after the start of the $200,000 Gr. 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The mare never looked back.

Under jockey Paco Lopez, Stonetastic went a quarter in :21.84 and a half in :44.35. As they entered the stretch, the pair held a 3 length lead and looked as though they could expand that at any point. The Mizzen Mast daughter drew off further to win the seven furlong contest by 3 ¾ lengths with a final time of 1:09.83. The distance had not previously been successful for Stonetastic, but it proved no issue Saturday, March 19. She came into the race off of a 5 length victory in the 6 ½ furlong Miami Shores Stakes on February 14.
With the victory, Stonetastic improved her record to 6 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds from 16 starts, with earnings of $629,862.

Stonetastic returned $4.40 to win, $3.20 to place, and $3.00 to show. The $1 trifecta of Stonetastic, Tiger Ridge and Engaginglee returned $305.20.

THE WEEKEND WRAP-UP COVERS 3-YEAR-OLD KENTUCKY DERBY AND OAKS PREPS, BREEDERS’ CUP “WIN AND YOU’RE IN” RACES, AND STAKES RACES FEATURING NOTEWORTHY HORSES. TRACKS COVERED INCLUDE SANTA ANITA, DEL MAR, LOS ALAMITOS (TB), GULFSTREAM PARK, TAMPA BAY DOWNS, AQUEDUCT, BELMONT PARK, SARATOGA, KEENELAND, CHURCHILL DOWNS, OAKLAWN, MONMOUTH PARK AND FAIR GROUNDS.

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