Alternation Works for Oaklawn Handicap

Pin Oak Stable’s Alternation, the local leader of the handicap division by virtue of his wins in the Essex and Razorback (G3) Handicaps this meet, had an easy maintenance work Thursday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 under the watchful eye of groom and shedrow foreman Rocky Chapman, who has been deputized while trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel is in New York with Caleb’s Posse, one of the favorites for Saturday’s Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct.

“It was just a useful work,” said Von Hemel by phone. “He went about 1:02 and change and that's what I was looking for. This sets him up for one more work in the middle of next week and we'll be ready to go next Saturday (in the Oaklawn Handicap). Everybody back there tells me it went smoothly."

The next two weekends are going to be very busy for the Von Hemel barn. In addition to Caleb’s Posse, the team will be represented by impressive Oaklawn allowance winner Z Rockstar in the $500,000 Illinois Derby (G3) at Hawthorne Saturday and next week at Oaklawn, Von Hemel will start Alternation and multiple stakes winner She’s All In in either the $100,000 Redbud Stakes April 12 or the $500,000 Apple Blossom (G1) April 13.