Cox Taking His Time With Fleet Sprinter Wabel

Trainer Brad Cox said he’s in no rush with Wabel, who ran the fastest 6 furlongs of the Oaklawn meet Saturday (1:09.03), and will point the 4-year-old Curlin colt for a second-level allowance race.

On behalf of owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, Cox claimed Wabel for $50,000 out of a maiden victory Sept. 12 at Churchill Downs. It was the highest-priced horse Flurry has ever claimed, and an unexpected bargain.

At the 2014 OBS June 2-year-old and horses of racing age sale, Cox said he vetted Wabel and Flurry was the “legit” underbidder ($165,000) on the colt.

Wabel was purchased for $170,000 by Sheikh Abdullah Almaddah and began his career in Southern California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert before being transferred to Wesley Ward.

“We really liked him at the sale,” Cox said. “We followed him, we watched him in California with Baffert. When he showed up at the entry box at Churchill, it was like, ‘Wow! - $50,000, we’ll take a shot.’”

Wabel finished second in his first two career starts in December 2014 before running fifth in his two-turn debut Feb. 28, 2015, at Santa Anita. Cox and Flurry pulled the trigger - again - when Wabel, now with Ward, resurfaced last fall in a maiden-claiming sprint at Churchill Downs.

“I don’t think you look at that horse on form and say, ‘Oh, wow, I want to go and spend $50,000,’ ” Cox said. “But we knew a little bit of his history because we had vetted him and watched him work. We knew Wabel way before we claimed him for $50,000.”

After breaking his maiden Sept. 12, Wabel ran second in his next three starts, including a Jan. 30 entry-level allowance race at Oaklawn, before winning Saturday’s fifth race, an entry-level allowance, by 5 1/4 lengths under Jon Court.

Cox said Wabel earned a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Super excited about that,” Cox said.

Wabel’s victory pushed his career earnings to $109,620. He has a 2-5-0 record from eight starts overall.

Ricardo’s Ride

Ricardo Santana Jr. doesn’t have the mount on Untapable for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 19, but Oaklawn’s three-time defending riding champion breezed the Eclipse Award winner for the first time in Hot Springs earlier this week for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Santana, Oaklawn’s runaway riding leader this year, was aboard Untapable for her 6-furlong move in 1:13 over a fast track Monday morning.

Santana said breezing Untapable, the country’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2014, was an “unbelievable” experience.

“It’s like one day you drive an ordinary car and tomorrow you drive a Ferrari,” Santana said. “When you touch the gas, it’s like, ‘Vroom!’ That’s one of the best fillies I’ve ever ridden.”

Santana, 23, has been closely aligned with Asmussen at the last four Oaklawn meetings, riding 101 winners for the trainer during that span. He is the runaway leader in victories (43) and purse earnings ($1,508,495) this year.

Untapable is scheduled to be ridden in the Azeri by Florent Geroux.

Finish Lines

There was no training Thursday morning at Oaklawn because of persistent rain. ... Four starters from the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn - Z Royal (eighth), Bird of Trey (11th), War Stroll (12th) and Luna de Loco (13th) - are entered in an allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Oaklawn. ... Corey Nakatani ($1,004,827) became the second jockey to surpass $1 million in purse earnings at the Oaklawn meet Sunday. ... Through 32 days racing at Oaklawn, 297 claims have totaled $4,319,500.

Source: Oaklawn Park