Sporting Chance 'a notch closer' to hitting Kentucky Derby trail

Grade 1 winner Sporting Chance emerged in good order from Monday's bullet workout and remains a candidate to make his 3-year-old debut Oaklawn Park's next 2018 Kentucky Derby prep, the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 19, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.

Breezing over a fast surface under David Cohen, Sporting Chance zipped 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 – best of 47 works recorded at the distance – with a final quarter-mile in :23.40 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:13.60, according to clockers.

“Very impressive,” Lukas said. “The thing that surprised me the most was the strength of the gallop out. If he had worked 1:13, I would have been impressed, too, let alone gallop out (1:13). It was really a nice work. Very pretty.”

Sporting Chance (knee chip) hasn’t started since winning the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 4 at Saratoga.

Monday’s work was the third at Oaklawn since Jan. 9 for Sporting Chance, a son of 2000 Horse of the Year Tiznow who was purchased for $575,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Lukas’ longtime clients, William Mack and Robert Baker.

Lukas has had the Southwest and $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 17 – Oaklawn’s second and third major Kentucky Derby preps – as landing spots for Sporting Chance’s 3-year-old debut. Both races are run at 1 1/16 miles.

“It’s still the target,” Lukas said of the Southwest. “We don’t have to commit, but it’s definitely on the radar screen for us. I would say after that work, we definitely moved a notch closer.”

Lukas said Sporting Chance will work again Monday or Tuesday.

Higher Power, winner of a split entry-level allowance/optional claimer at a mile Jan. 13, will “probably” work Friday or Saturday, trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said Thursday morning.

Higher Power, a half-brother to the Von Hemel-trained millionaire and 2012 Oaklawn Handicap winner Alternation by Medaglia d’Oro, is under consideration for the Southwest, the trainer said.

Bravazo, winner of the other half of the split entry-level allowance/optional claimer, is headed to the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds, Lukas said.

High North, who has been based this month at Fair Grounds, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest for trainer Brad Cox and owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs.