Call Pat rallies past Untapable for Azeri victory

Emulating her run in last month's Bayakoa Stakes, Call Pat rallied from dead last to capture Oaklawn's 1 1/16 mile Grade 2 Azeri Stakes in the shadow of the wire.

Sarah Sis and High Dollar Woman won the start with both setting sail for the lead. Streamline, coming out of post 4, settled in along the rail in third. After breaking a beat slow, Untapable and jockey Florent Geroux moved up into fourth, just to the outside of Streamline. The champion would not stay in fourth, however. Fighting Geroux for her head, she pulled them up into a rank second as the field entered the backstretch.

Not to be outdone, Sarah Sis continued to jockey for the second running position while High Dollar Woman officially set the splits of :23.11 and :47.83 for the opening half. Behind the first flight, Meshell, Kyriaki, Theogony and closer Call Pat were more settled, maintaining their fifth through eighth running positions, respectively, while the front four duked it out amongst themselves.

Having had enough of being held back, Untapable tugged her way into the lead on the far turn with her eye on the prize. With Streamline to her outside and Sarah Sis to her inside, Untapable took dead aim at the wire, putting the both of them away.

Inside deep stretch, Untapable was all out and tiring but Call Pat, who had raced in last though the first three-quarters of a mile, was weaving through traffic behind her with the momentum of a runaway freight train. With the wire rapidly approaching, jockey Joe Rocco Jr. steered Call Pat to the inside of Untapable, sticking a neck in front just as the wire flashed overhead. The final time was 1:44.44 on a fast track.

In what ended up being a blanket finish, Untapable saved second by 1/2-length over Streamline, who finished just a neck in front of Theogony, who rallied from second last to round out the superfecta. Sarah Sis, Kyriaki, Meshell and High Dollar Woman completed the order of finish.

Brad Cox, who saddled the winner, stated, “I was happy to the see the :47. The last time, they went a little bit slower in the Bayakoa. But we always know she comes running. I was hoping she wouldn't run out of ground. We just got up, but she ran a great race."

“Joe Rocco does a great job on this mare,” he continued. “He knows her. He's ridden her at Indiana. He won on her here at Oaklawn, so he obviously knows the mare very well. He knew he couldn't sweep around all those good mares today. Come up the inside, split horses. He did a great job."

Off at 5-1 odds, Call Pat returned $12.20/$3.40/$2.40. Untapable, the 2-5 heavy favorite, paid $2.40/$2.10 for the place, and Streamline paid $3.60 for the show. The $2 exacta returned $21.20, the $1 trifecta paid $40.90 and the $0.10 superfecta was worth $21.01.

Winning rider Joe Rocco Jr. was not surprised by his mount's performance. “It was your typical Call Pat fashion,” he explained. “She falls back there and I just let her do her thing. We just kind of picked our way through there. She’s a nice mare. If you conserve her, she comes running.”

As for runner-up Untapable, trainer Steve Asmussen was disappointed but ultimately satisfied with the mare's performance. “I was disappointed she ran second, but she ran solid.” he said. “The rider said she lost a little focus and didn't see that filly on the outside (Sarah Sis) and she was kid of looking up. I think she ran well. The winner (Call Pat) runs well here and we always know how that is when you come into Oaklawn. It is a horse for course place.”

By Lawyer Ron and out of the Rahy mare First Song, Call Pat is a 6-year old mare rounding into career best form for owner Miller Racing LLC. She was bred by Don Ameche III, Don Ameche, Jr. and Prancing Horse Enterprises and was a $7,500 yearling purchase for Philip A. Sims. Myron Miller, who now races his horses under Miller Racing LLC, privately purchased the mare in the first half of 2014.

Since taking the G3 Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park back in August, Call Pat has raced exclusively in graded stakes company. She gave a good accounting of herself in her subsequent 3 starts to close out 2015 before winning her 2016 bow in the Bayakoa. Her victory in today's Azeri keeps her perfect in 2016 while also being the first time she has ever strung together back-to-back wins.

Both Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen indicated Oaklawn's Grade 1 $600,000 Apple Blossom on April 15 as the likely next spot for one-two finishers Call Pat and Untapable.