Euphrosyne, Work All Week Win at Oaklawn

Euphrosyne, who had finished second in four of her five previous career starts, emerged from a lengthy inquiry to become a stakes winner after Sugar Shock was disqualified from first and placed second in Saturday’s $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies. The elevation to first also earned Euphrosyne 50 points based on Churchill Downs’ criteria for making the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 2, while Sugar Shock received 20 points for second.

Sugar Shock, ridden by Channing Hill, and Euphrosyne, with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. on board, both assumed stalking positions behind the favorite Taris, who led the field through an opening quarter mile in :23 and half mile in :47, and it was Sugar Shock who made the first move to assume the lead at the top of the stretch. That filly appeared to be drawing away from the field when she suddenly propped in the final furlong and came into the path of the fast closing eventual winner. Apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke, aboard third-place finisher Please Explain, also claimed interference by Sugar Shock, but that was disallowed by the stewards. The final time was 1:45 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track.

“I thought we got interfered with, but I also thought she would’ve won anyway if that wouldn’t have happened,” said Darren Fleming, assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen. “I’m happy it came out our way.”

Euphrosyne has now won two of six starts and earned $166,200 for owners Gillian Campbell, Dan Clark, Greg Skoda and Ralph and Shelly Stayer. The Harlan’s Holiday filly returned $19.20, $7.00 and $3.80 at odds of 8-1. The Honeybee victory was the sixth stakes win of the meet for Santana Jr. and his fourth aboard an Asmussen-trained horse.

Two races later, Midwest Thoroughbred’s Work All Week extended his win streak to six-in-a-row with his front running victory in the $100,000 Hot Springs Stakes.

Ridden by jockey Chris Emigh, the winner took control of the race from the start and set fractions of :21 3/5 and :45 for the first half mile. He began to inch away from his competition at the top of the stretch and had plenty left in reserve to hold off the late closing Alsvid and King Cotton Stakes winner Apprehender, who finished second and third, respectively. He won the six furlong race by 1 ½ lengths in a final of 1:09 4/5 over a fast track.

Work All Week, a City Zip gelding bred by his owner, improved his career record to nine victories in 11 starts and has now earned $321,198. The 2-1 favorite returned $6, $3.60 and $2.60.

Stakes Quotes:

Honeybee:

Assistant trainer Darren Fleming, winner Euphrosyne: “I thought we got interfered with, but I also thought she would’ve won anyway if that wouldn’t have happened. I’m happy it came out our way. I feel bad and it’s unfortunate for Doug, he’s a nice guy. As far as the Fantasy, that’ll be up to Steve (Asmussen) and the owners.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., winner Euphrosyne: “Every time she goes out there she runs a big race. She’s a good one.”

Trainer Doug Anderson, trainer of Sugar Shock, who was disqualified and placed second: “Heartbreaking.”

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke, third with Please Explain: “I was on the rail the whole way and it got tight a little bit near the quarter. Down the lane she (Sugar Shock) stopped my momentum totally.”

Jockey Clinton Potts, beaten favorite Taris: “Things started out well. She made the lead all on her own and was running the way she likes to. Down the backside, I was thinking ‘we have this.’ When the other horse (Sugar Shock) came at her at the 3/8ths pole, she just blew right by her. She’s a better horse than that.”

Hot Springs:

Trainer Roger Brueggeman, winner Work All Week:  “That’s just the way he likes to run. He has natural speed, so you have to use it.”

Jockey Chris Emigh, winner Work All Week: “This is a big horse and he’s on the next level. He seems like he’s in slow motion because his stride is so big and he covers so much ground. With the King Cotton winner in there and the horse that ran second, I knew they’d be flying. I tried to get away turning for home, I asked him and I thought he had a lot.”

Trainer Chris Hartman, second with Alsvid: “Another second. He ran a good race, he just got outrun. It’s a really nice horse that beat him. If he comes back good, we’ll have to go in the Count Fleet.”

Trainer Chris Richard, third with Apprehender: “They kind of got away from him a little bit early. I didn’t think he’d be that far back. I thought he ran well. I thought it was tough to come back against these kind of horses in three weeks, but he finished up with good energy. But, overall I was very pleased with his effort. The Count Fleet is a possibility.”