Southern Phantom aims to break his maiden for new barn at Oaklawn

Southern Phantom has a distinctive look, but he doesn't yet have the distinction of winning a race. His connections hope to change that Friday at Oaklawn Park.

The 4-year-old colt with a white face and blue left eye will start from the rail in Race 9, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event with an $87,000 purse. Post time is 6:19 p.m. ET.

We last heard from owner Danny Caldwell in January, a couple months after he bought the son of Bodemeister for $20,000 at Keeneland's November sale. Caldwell had sent Southern Phantom to Hot Springs, Ark., to train with Federico Villafranco. 

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready,” Caldwell said at the time. “We’re going to give him time, and aren’t going to push him.” Southern Phantom has hit the board twice in seven career starts for former trainer Eric Guillot, finishing third in August 2018 as a 2-year-old at Saratoga and third in February 2019 at Aqueduct in his last start. He'll be running for the first time Friday in more than a year after needing time off to have a small bone chip removed.