Prospect Watch: Pricey colt Inis Gluaire to debut at Oaklawn
We’d normally be counting down the hours until the 2020 Kentucky Derby, but in this strange season for racing, the search instead continues this weekend for potential Triple Crown contenders in the maiden ranks.
Promising 3-year-olds who could step up and make an impact during the summer may be running Friday and Saturday, so let’s review seven names to follow on what would have been Derby week.
Friday
Oaklawn Park Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (6 furlongs, 4:36 p.m. ET)
#10 Onaway
Conditioned by Brad Cox, Onaway debuted in one of the toughest maiden races of the Oaklawn meet, finishing fourth in a six-furlong dash on Feb. 15. The top three finishers — Pneumatic, Skol Factor and Liam’s Pride — all came back to win their next starts, and Onaway will be expected to do the same. A son of Carpe Diem out of Mazarine Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) winner Dream About, Onaway is a half-brother to Commonwealth Derby (G2) winner Deeply Undervalued and the graded stakes-placed turf router Sleepless Knight. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Javier Castellano picks up the mount on Onaway, who is bred to improve with experience and maturity.
#12 Inis Gluaire
After clocking a furlong in :09 4/5 at the 2019 OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Inis Gluaire was acquired by Phoenix Thoroughbred III for $825,000. The hefty price tag was also partly due to a classy pedigree, as he’s a son of champion Bernardini out of the Regal Classic mare Inish Glora, a graded stakes winner twice voted Canada’s champion grass mare. Inish Glora has already proven successful as a broodmare, with daughter Roan Inish winning the Woodbine Oaks and son In Equality placing third in the Jerome Stakes (G3).
Inis Gluaire has turned in some sharp workouts for trainer Steve Asmussen, including five furlongs from the Keeneland starting gate in :59 4/5 on April 21. With Asmussen’s go-to jockey Ricardo Santana in the saddle, Inis Gluaire figures to receive plenty of support at the betting windows, though the six-furlong distance of Friday’s race is likely shorter than this colt will prefer.
Saturday
Gulfstream Park Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles, 1:45 p.m. ET)
#4 Or’effice
Could the fifth time be the charm for Or’effice? A beautifully-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Grade 1-winning Empire Maker mare Grace Hall, he has shown steady improvement in his first four starts for trainer Mark Hennig. The $725,000 yearling purchase ran his best race yet on April 3, finishing a close second over this track and distance despite steadying in traffic on the far turn. The race came back fast on the speed figure scales, and Or’effice will pick up hot jockey Luis Saez. A trip to the winner’s circle could finally be on the horizon.
#7 Newsworthy
From top to bottom, Newsworthy has the pedigree of a classy prospect. A son of acclaimed stallion Tapit out of Test Stakes (G1) winner Sweet Lulu, Newsworthy’s bloodlines contain a blend of speed and stamina, suggesting this Summer Wind Equine homebred could be a versatile sort. At first glance, his work tab isn’t particularly eye-catching, but he’s been training over the slow track at Payson Park and actually clocked five furlongs from the starting gate in a bullet 1:01 4/5 on April 18. Newsworthy might not be primed for a winning debut, but if this Bill Mott trainee shows talent on Saturday, he could be one to watch in the future.
Oaklawn Park Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (6 furlongs, 2:36 p.m. ET)
It’s a bit surprising Uncle Addouma sold for just $145,000 as a 2-year-old in training considering he’s a son of popular stallion Uncle Mo and a half-brother to Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) winner Singanothersong. Trained in California by Michael McCarthy, who is 1-for-1 at Oaklawn this winter, Uncle Addouma has posted a long string of sharp workouts at Santa Anita, culminating with five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 on April 24. McCarthy strikes at just an 8% rate with first-time starters, but based off his work tab, there’s no reason Uncle Addouma can’t fire a good shot on debut and keep improving with experience and maturity.
#11 Bank
A son of Bernardini out of the Gone West mare Speed Succeeds, Bank is a half-brother to Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Brilliant Speed and Remsen Stakes (G2) runner-up Souper Speedy. This $275,000 yearling purchase is begging to run long. He showed a surprising amount of promise sprinting in his debut last September, finishing third behind future stakes performers South Bend and Answer In at Churchill Downs, but faltered when stretching out over 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland and subsequently spent four months on the sidelines.
Transferred from trainer Ron Moquett to Asmussen, Bank returned to action in a six-furlong dash on April 5 at Oaklawn and employed ground-saving tactics to rally and finish third by 2 1/2 lengths. With this comeback run under his belt, Bank figures to be sharper on Saturday, but his pedigree suggests he’ll be strongest when stretching out in distance.
Oaklawn Park Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/8 miles, 2:36 p.m. ET)
#4 Friar’s Road
Sold for $500,000 as a yearling, Friar’s Road has faced good company in his first two starts for the McCarthy barn. The son of Quality Road knocked heads with future graded stakes winner Thousand Words in his debut last October at Santa Anita, then returned from a five-month layoff to finish second in a 1-mile maiden event over the same track, earning a 90 Brisnet Speed rating. The winner — Shooters Shoot — returned to nab an Oaklawn allowance race and was entered in the first division of Arkansas Derby (G1), though a spiked temperature will keep him out of the race.
Produced by the Giant’s Causeway mare My Sugar Bear, Friar’s Road is bred to succeed running long, so stretching out over 1 1/8 miles could be to his benefit. A Triple Crown nominee, Friar’s Road turned in a sharp five-furlong workout on April 25 and will add blinkers for Saturday’s test, setting the stage for a winning performance.