Weekend Takeaways: Bourbon War poised for move forward

Following a runner-up performance in Saturday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Bourbon War will likely make his next start in the March 30 Florida Derby (G1), and he looks eligible to do one better in looking to secure a spot in the Kentucky Derby 2019 starting gate.

Bourbon War rallied off a fast pace set by Hidden Scroll, turned about six wide and missed Code of Honor by just three-quarters of a length at Gulfstream Park’s first finish line. Sure, he rallied off fast fractions, but the Tapit colt continued on strong past the wire.

Trainer Mark Hennig said Bourbon War also has the ability to sit closer to the pace.

“He’s a horse that likes to run. I really liked his stride the last sixteenth,” Hennig said. “He just lowered his head and he really knew what he wanted. I don’t know if you always get that pace set up, but I think he’s proven he doesn’t need a pace set up. If they’re going slower he’ll race a little closer.”

One start prior to the Fountain of Youth, Bourbon War won an optional claiming race at the same 1 1/16-mile distance at Gulfstream. He was fourth when going 1 1/8 miles in Aqueduct’s Remsen (G2), but Hennig said that start came back quickly after Bourbon War won on debut Nov. 14 in a race where he ran closer to the pace.

The Florida Derby will stretch Bourbon War back out to 1 1/8 miles. He’s won twice going around two turns at Gulfstream Park with another strong second. Should the Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable star show a versatile running style, he appears dangerous moving foroward.

“He came out of it well,” Hennig said Sunday morning. “There were a few things that might have made a difference. Coming off the turn he had to swing just a little wide. But that’s horse racing.”

New running style works for Code of Honor

As with Bourbon War, the Fountain of Youth pace could have been a factor in Code of Honor’s performance. The Noble Mission colt closed from fifth in the 11-horse field.

Code of Honor led gate to wire in his Saratoga debut, then had to rally from last in the Champagne (G1) after stumbling at the start. He was able to catch second in that performance, but did not overcome getting bumped around at the start of the Jan. 5 Mucho Macho Man Stakes. The Mucho Macho Man was off a three-month layoff, but Code of Honor gave a lackluster performance to run fourth.

“Obviously, I thought about [the Mucho Macho Man] a lot,” McGaughey said the morning after the Fountain of Youth. “I thought from what I saw he probably needed the race and probably, maybe, needed to change his running style just a little bit.”

With Code of Honor bringing home the Fountain of Youth win, the tactic seemed to work.

Jaywalk vulnerable?

Most good horses will run a poor race at some point in their careers. For Jaywalk, the Eclipse 2-Year-Old Filly Champion, that one came in Saturday’s Davona Dale Stakes (G2) when she faded to fourth while Jeltrin posted a 51-1 upset. However, that effort can be forgiven going forward.

It was Jaywalk’s first start in four months, and she was last seen romping to a 5 ½-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She’ll have the chance to rebound in either the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) or Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, but her Davona Dale performance did show she was vulnerable.

Trainer John Servis plans to tighten the screws before the May 3 Kentucky Oaks on a filly that doesn't appear to have sized up too much from last season.

“She’s doing super, very good. She was bright-eyed this morning, looked great,” Servis said Sunday. “She just needed the race, that’s all. It’s a stepping stone, and that’s what we were using it as. I thought she could win anyway and she didn’t, but that’s all right. She came out of it good and we’re going to move forward. She’ll be ready in May, I can tell you that.”

Sprinters on display at Oaklawn

Two talented sprinters flexed their muscles on Oaklawn’s Saturday card. The 4-year-old filly Amy’s Challenge broke a stakes record in the featured Spring Fever Stakes, completing 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.10. Earlier on the card, Mitole returned from a near 10-month layoff to capture a six-furlong allowance optional claiming race with ease.

Southern California-based Marley’s Freedom appears to own the filly and mare sprint division with champion Shamrock Rose stretching out around two turns in the upcoming Azeri Stakes. But Amy’s Challenge could, well, challenge. She wrapped up 2018 with a sixth-place finish in Keeneland’s Raven Run (G2) and is 2-for-2 this season after returning to Oaklawn. 

Amy’s Challenge kicked off the season with a 5 ¾-length victory in the American Beauty Stakes, then looked even better when she strolled home to an 8 ¼-length win in the Spring Fever. Trainer McLean Robertson is considering the Carousel Stakes or the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) against males at Oaklawn -- both of those run at six furlongs -- or the seven-furlong Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland for the filly’s next start. 

“She came back a little tired. Long day for her,” Robertson said Sunday. “She was a little keyed up in the paddock yesterday, but then she settled down at the end.”

While Amy’s Challenge has blown away the competition during Oaklawn’s meet and has not lost going six furlongs or less, a race like the Madison would really put her to the test. The spring-meet feature draws top names from the division and would stretch out Amy’s Challenge. The way she has been running, though, a spot like the Madison would gauge where she fits in should she target the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at seven furlongs.

As for Mitole, the now 4-year-old looked like an emerging sprint star last spring when he won Oaklawn’s Bachelor Stakes by nine lengths and Pimlico’s Chick Lang Stakes by 6 ¼ lengths. An injury left him sidelined the remainder of the year, but he drew away easy with a 4 ¼-length win Saturday. He’ll certainly be one to keep an eye on in the sprint division this year.