Oaklawn: Red Route One cruises to victory in Essex Handicap

The most accomplished entrant in the Grade 3, $500,000 Essex Handicap delivered.

Ridden for the first time by Keith Asmussen, millionaire multiple graded-stakes winner Red Route One rolled to a 4 1/2-length victory over Tarantino in the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.

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The Essex was a major local prep for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 19.

Late-running Red Route One finished third in last year’s Oaklawn Handicap, which was his first start after winning the New Orleans Classic (G2) a month earlier at Fair Grounds. As a 3-year-old in 2023, Red Route One also won the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer and Oaklawn’s Bathhouse Row. Each race was 1 1/8 miles.

Asmussen rode Red Route One for his father Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, which also bred the 5-year-old son of champion Gun Runner. Red Route One, who went off at 5-1, was last early as stablemate Unload, Tarantino and Patriot Spirit battled through a swift 46.25-second half-mile.

Red Route trailed by 10 lengths after a half-mile, but he began to move closer to the leaders on the second turn while saving ground. Keith Asmussen steered Red Route One to the outside of Tarantino and Patriot Spirt turning for home and drew away from his rivals in the final furlong.

“In the first turn, I could see they were, not exactly fighting but somewhat of a bar fight, and I’m just sitting behind that,” Keith Asmussen said. “World of confidence in that horse. Been getting on him for the duration of his career, and this week I’ve been telling the bosses like, oh, he’s pretty fiery and ready to go. So I couldn’t be more excited to do it for Winchell and my father.”

Tarantino finished three lengths ahead of Speed Bias, who was followed in order by Patriot Spirit, 6-5 favorite Kinetic and Upload. Maycocks Bay was scratched, reducing the starting field to six.

Red Route One carried 118 pounds and ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:51.67.

Previously 0-for-2 at the Oaklawn meet, Red Route One finished a distant fourth in the $175,000 Tinsel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 5 and a non-threatening seventh in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23.

Red Route One moved to $2,127,857 in career earnings with his sixth victory from 25 starts. He is a four-time graded-stakes winner and has five stakes victories overall.