Oskar Blues may make jump to graded stakes company in Hopeful

Fern Circle Stables' Oskar Blues may make the jump to graded stakes company off Saturday's gutsy debut victory at odds of 33-1, trainer Ken McPeek said Sunday morning.

"Likely the Hopeful," McPeek said of the possible next step for Oskar Blues, a chestnut son of champion sprinter Speightstown. The Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful at seven furlongs will be run on Labor Day, September 4 - closing day of Saratoga's summer meet.

McPeek's assistant, Ken McAllister, reported Oskar Blues was doing well out of his hard-fought nose triumph over Airtouch, a well-regarded first-timer trained by Todd Pletcher.

"The horse came out great. He came back and ate all his feed, walked around no problem, drank all his water. We walked him again this morning and he's doing great," McAllister said. "He's a good horse. You never know with the 2-year-olds. Kenny was really pleased with him. He said he thought he was probably not even at 100 percent and he still won."

Oskar Blues dueled heads apart with Airtouch from the outset through fractions of 22.92 and 45.84 seconds and 1:10.77, digging in late to win a head bob at the wire after going seven furlongs in 1:23.99.

"The good ones, they know. He was in a battle and he fought all the way to the wire," McAllister said. "We're excited about him, there's no doubt about it, and he beat a good horse."

Purchased for $350,000 as a yearling last July, Oskar Blues was ridden by Dylan Davis, whose girlfriend, Sara Rowland, gave birth to the couple's first child, son Michael Dylan, Saturday morning. Davis picked up the mount when travel issues prevented jockey Robby Albarado from getting to Saratoga in time for the race.