Oaklawn: Field of '7 to 9' Expected for Fantasy

Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said he expects “7-9” horses to run in Saturday’s $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies. The 1 1/16-mile Fantasy begins Oaklawn’s Racing Festival of the South, which features at least one stakes race per day during the final week of the meeting.

Sarah Sis, Oceanwave and Pangburn, the 1-2-3 finishers, respectively, in the $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 7, are scheduled to run in the Fantasy. Pangburn worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 after the break Sunday morning for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Another projected local starter is Sweet Opportunity, a March 13 allowance/optional claiming winner for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel. Von Hemel saddled See How She Runs to win the 2002 Fantasy.

Two-time defending Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. is scheduled to ride Feathered for trainer Todd Pletcher. Feathered, runner-up to champion Take Charge Brandi in last year’s $350,000 Starlet Stakes (G1), worked a bullet half-mile (:47.97) Saturday at Palm Beach Downs in Florida.

Achiever’s Legacy, winner of last year’s $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar, is scheduled to leave her Southern California base to run in the Fantasy, co-owner Richard Robertson said.

Pope said a handful of other horses are considering the Fantasy, including the ultra-fast Super Saks for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Post positions for the Fantasy will be drawn Wednesday morning.

Chleborad Hoping I’m Working On It is Next Stable Star
Trainer Lynn Chleborad may have already found her next big stakes winner in I’m Working On It, who remained unbeaten in two lifetime starts in Saturday’s 10th race at Oaklawn, drawing off to a four-length entry-level allowance score under Alex Birzer.

The victory came roughly 10 months after Chleborad saddled multiple stakes winner American Sugar to win the $50,000 Prairie Rose Stakes at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. American Sugar was retired late last year after winning 7 of 25 career starts and earning $269,094. A five-time stakes winner, including Oaklawn’s $60,000 Dixie Belle in 2013, American Sugar is scheduled to be bred to 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun, Chleborad said.

Good-bye, American Sugar. Hello, I’m Working On It, a 3-year-old Indiana-bred daughter of Quien.

“I like to claim horses, but I get mostly young horses that I make,” Chleborad said during training hours Sunday morning. “I do know what a good horse looks like, and the first time I saw her I knew what she was.”

I’m Working On It, who has a large blaze, was a 2 ½-length winner of her March 12 career debut. Chleborad said I’m Working On It didn’t join her stable until late last year, adding the filly is the only horse she has for owner William E. Oswald, a Texas real estate appraiser. Oswald purchased I’m Working On It for just $2,500 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. The trainer said she had never met Oswald until a horse sale last August in Oklahoma, when, out of the blue, he approached her and asked if she would be willing to train the filly.

“I guess he saw me looking at the horses at the sale,” Chleborad said. “He was talking about this horse. You know how when you’re at sales and stuff and then you think, ‘OK, yeah, take my number down; give me your number.’ You never hear from them again.”

But, Chleborad said Oswald called in the fall and reiterated how well the filly was doing and that he would be sending her to the trainer in late December at Oaklawn.

“I said, ‘I’ll have a stall for you,’ Chleborad said. “Man, she was beautiful. She was really high-spirited, and that’s saying it mildly. Very beautiful and very high-spirited.”

But, Chleborad said the filly showed talent from the first day she galloped at Oaklawn.

“In my head, I was like, ‘Wow!’ ” Chleborad said. “That filly had the right kind of action, motion. She just likes it. She likes her work.”

I’m Working On It has displayed push-button acceleration, and an explosive late kick in both career starts at six furlongs.

Chleborad said she believes I’m Working On It will be able to stretch out, but there are no specific next-race plans for the filly. She will be based with Chleborad at Prairie Meadows after the Oaklawn meeting ends April 11, but Indiana Grand features an attractive stakes menu for Indiana-breds.

“That will be fine,” Chleborad said with a laugh.

Finish Lines
Six-time Oaklawn training champion Steve Asmussen entered Sunday with 6,996 career victories in North America (6,998 worldwide). He has eight horses entered Sunday at Fair Grounds and two at Oaklawn. … Champion American Pharoah worked 5 furlongs in :58.60 Sunday morning at Santa Anita in preparation for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 11. … Sugar Shock, pointing for the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 10, worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 for co-owner/trainer Doug Anderson after the break Sunday morning under regular rider Channing Hill. … Carve, a candidate for the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 11, recorded a five-furlong bullet work (:59.60) for trainer Brad Cox after the break Sunday morning. … Roger Rocket, owned Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, Ark., worked a half-mile in :48.40 Sunday morning under Larry Melancon. Roger Rocket, a 4-year-old son of Pulpit, was a $375,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April 2-year-old in training purchase and made his first three career starts at Santa Anita for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Roger Rocket ran fifth in the $200,000 San Vincente Stakes (G2) last year before being sidelined with a leg injury. Roger Rocket finished fifth in his March 16 comeback race before being sent to trainer Al Stall at Oaklawn. Roger Rocket is scheduled to run in an entry-level allowance race before the meeting ends April 11. … Alex Canchari is appealing a three-day suspension (April 2-4) to the Arkansas Racing Commission, said the jockey’s agent, Gene Short. Stewards cited Canchari for allowing his mount, Ball and Chain, “for drifting down from the outside without being clear” of A Gala Day and causing A Gala Day to check shortly after the start of Thursday’s second race. Ball and Chain survived a foul claim by the rider of runner-up A Gala Day, Israel Ocampo, in a 2 1/4-length victory. … Oaklawn surpassed $5 million in claims at the meeting Saturday. … Oaklawn will be open for training on Easter from 7 a.m.-9 a.m. (Central).