Thirteen Horses Expected to Enter Southwest
Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said Thursday morning that he expects 13 horses to enter Monday’s $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3). Post positions for the 1 1/16-mile Southwest, the second major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 16, will be drawn Friday morning.
Horses Pope said he expects to be entered are: American Dubai, Bird of Trey, Collected, Cutacorner, Discreetness, Gordy Florida, Luna de Loco, Suddenbreakingnews, Synchrony, Torrontes, War Stroll, Whitmore and Z Royal.
American Dubai is entered in an entry-level allowance race Saturday at Oaklawn, but owner Richard Keith said Thursday morning that he and trainer Rodney Richards are “just covering our bases.”
Discreetness, Gordy Florida, Synchrony and Luna de Loco finished 1-2-3-4, respectively, in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 18 at Oaklawn.
Gordy Florida worked a half-mile in :47.40 over a fast track after the break Thursday morning for three-time Oaklawn training champion Kenny Smith. Clockers caught Gordy Florida galloping out 5 furlongs in :59.80.
Collected, based in Southern California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, is scheduled to be flown to Arkansas Friday, Pope said. He won the $100,000 Sham Stakes Jan. 9 at Santa Anita in his last start and will be seeking to give Baffert his fifth Southwest victory since 2010.
Collected (30-1), Discreetness (50-1) and Whitmore (50-1) are among 23 individual betting interests in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 that runs Friday-Sunday. None of the three were included in Pool 1.
Source: Oaklawn Park