Oaklawn: Sugar Shock Out of Azeri
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Multiple stakes winner Sugar Shock was scratched from Saturday's $300,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn, the 4-year-old filly's co-owner/trainer, Doug Anderson, said Saturday morning.
Anderson said he didn't want to run Sugar Shock in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri because of the possibility of an off track. Oaklawn's racing surface was saturated with rain Thursday and Friday, and there was a 40-percent chance of showers Saturday afternoon, according to weather.com. Oaklawn's surface was rated muddy for morning workouts.
"She doesn't handle the off going like this," Anderson said. "It's a bad deal."
In her final start last year, Sugar Shock failed to finish in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) June 28 after being pulled up by regular rider Channing Hill because he believed the filly wasn't handling the muddy surface, Anderson said.
"Her Tomlinson numbers are huge for it," Anderson said of ratings for an off track. "But she just doesn't seem like she can handle it. We've worked her kind of on a wet race track, and she just doesn't get over it."
Anderson said Sugar Shock will be pointed for the $350,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 4 at Keeneland, a 7-furlong race on the main track.
Sugar Shock has crossed the finish line first in all five career starts at Oaklawn, including last year's $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) and the $100,000 American Beauty Stakes Jan. 24. The six-furlong American Beauty was Sugar Shock's 2015 debut. The daughter of Candy Ride has won 5 of 10 starts and $458,130 in her career. Sugar Shock was 10-1 on the morning line for the Azeri, which now has a projected five-horse field following her defection.
Source: Oaklawn Park Press Release
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