Far Right in Final Preparations for Arkansas Derby
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Far Right will have his final work for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 11 at Oaklawn this weekend, trainer Ron Moquett said Thursday morning. Moquett said he plans to breeze his multiple stakes winning ridgling a half-mile Saturday or Sunday.
Far Right is the top locally based Kentucky Derby prospect following victories in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 19 and the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 22. Moquett opted to skip the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 14 and train Far Right up to the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby. The son of Notional, who races for co-owners Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta, has had only two published works since the Southwest, but Moquett said that has been by design.
“We did a two-minute clip the other day, which is exactly how we got him up to the Southwest,” Moquett said. “If I would have called in any time, at any distance, he could have gotten a time. But I just said it was a two-minute clip. Every horse is different. He trains so hard every day. I don’t have to do much.”
Another horse scheduled to run in the Arkansas Derby, Bridget’s Big Luvy, arrived Wednesday for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. Bridget’s Big Luvy, a son of Tiz Wonderful, won the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at 1 1/8 miles March 21 at Laurel.
Other locally based horses pointing for the Arkansas Derby are Bold Conquest and The Truth Or Else, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Rebel. Oaklawn’s signature race is expected to be headed by runaway Rebel winner American Pharoah, the country’s champion 2-year-old male.
Hobby Horses
Steve Hobby won’t win the Oaklawn training title, but he’s bounced back strongly from a subpar 2014 meet in which he won just 5 of 60 starts and amassed $268,417 in purse earnings. Through the first 45 days of the 2015 meeting, Hobby has a 10-7-2 record from 50 starts and purse earnings of $412,482.
“Getting the right horses in the right races,” Hobby said before training hours Monday morning. “The right horses have won for me at this meet. My better horses have stepped up and ran really well with these big purses.”
Hobby saddled Spring Included to win the $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older filly and mare sprinters Feb. 21. The trainer said Spring Included remains on target for the $100,000 Carousel Stakes April 8 after working a half-mile in :50.40 Thursday morning. He has also scored victories with his top older males, For Greater Glory and Fire Starter.
Spring Included, For Greater Glory and Fire Starter are all owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, Ark. Alex Lieblong is a member of the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Hobby said 2015 is the first time since 1985 that he hasn’t had horses at Oaklawn for Oklahoma-based CresRan LLC (Carol Ricks). But, Hobby said he’s scheduled to receive the stable’s homebred, Sassy Miss Sue, at the upcoming Churchill Downs meeting. Sassy Miss Sue is a 2-year-old full-sister to Tiz Miz Sue, a millionaire and Grade I winner also campaigned by CresRan and Hobby. Tiz Miz Sue won Oaklawn’s Azeri Stakes (G3) in 2012 and 2013.
Hobby said Sassy Miss Sue, by Tapit, has received glowing reviews in her early training, but isn’t close to a race.
“No hurry,” Hobby said. “With that family, they all get better with age.”
Hobby also trained the dam of Tiz Miz Sue and Sassy Miss Sue, multiple stakes winner Sue’s Good News, for CresRan.
Source: Oaklawn Barn Notes
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