Kentucky Derby hopeful's 'bullet' work pleases Lukas

Although it has not produced a Kentucky Derby winner in 14 years, the Hopeful Stakes at historic Saratoga holds a special place in the hearts of horsemen.

And why not, its past winners include eventual Triple Crown champions Affirmed, Secretariat and Whirlaway, plus the immortal Man o'War.

A Grade 1 event though not a designated Kentucky Derby points race, the Hopeful has been dominated in recent years by Hall of Fame trainer Wayne Lukas. Last September, two days after turning 82, Lukas won the Hopeful for a record eighth time with Sporting Chance, a Tiznow colt owned by longtime clients Robert Baker and William Mack.

Sporting Chance, recovering from a knee chip, has not raced since Labor Day in upstate New York. His return could come on Presidents Day (Feb. 19) in the Grade 3 $500,000 Southwest, Oaklawn Park's second of four stakes races for 3-year-olds pointing to the Triple Crown.

The colt's "bullet" workout Monday, five furlongs in 1:00.40, encouraged Lukas. The time was best of 47 works recorded at the distance, clockers getting Sporting Chance's final quarter-mile in 23:40 seconds and six-furlong gallop in 1:13.60.

"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."

David Cohen breezed Sporting Chance over a fast surface on a non-racing day at Oaklawn. Luis Saez rode Sporting Chance in the Hopeful, which Lukas won in 2009 with Dublin, the following year's Arkansas Derby third-place finisher, and again in 2013 with Strong Mandate, both owned by Baker and Mack.

Sporting Chance, with three Oaklawn workouts since Jan. 9, will work again Monday or Tuesday, Lukas said. Seeking his fifth Kentucky Derby victory, Lukas has penciled in the Southwest and Oaklawn's Grade 2 $900,000 Rebel on March 17 for the colt's 3-year-old debut.

"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."

Bravazo, winner of a split entry-level allowance/optional claimer at one mile Jan. 13, is headed to the Grade 2 $400,000 Risen Star Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds, Lukas said. The trainer also is looking for a spot for Jan. 13 maiden-special-weights winner Transgress, who went six furlongs in 1:10.70 under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.

Beauty contest

Nine older fillies and mares are entered in Saturday's $125,000 American Beauty at six furlongs (race 8, 4:38 p.m.).

From the rail out are Summer House, jockey Edwin Maldonado, 117 pounds; Chanteline, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117; Thoughtless, Alex Canchari, 114; Okie Diva, Luis Quinonez, 117; Barbary Hall, Channing Hill, 122; Scotty's Model, Luis Contreras, 122; Factory of Faith, Ramon Vazquez; Sweet Halory, Fernando De La Cruz, 114; and Swing and Sway, David Cabrera, 114.

The nine-race card starts at 1:05 p.m.

Notes

Prominent Canadian trainer Norman McKnight scored his first victory of the meeting in Thursday's fifth race with Smart Spree ($21.40), the 7-year-old Smart Strike gelding leading from gate to wire through six furlongs in 1:09.50 under Ramon Vazquez. McKnight, whose horses set career personal highs of 99 victories and $2.1 million in earnings last year, started his first Oaklawn season 0 for 6.

California-based Peter Miller's first Oaklawn victory came in Thursday's fourth race with Bolitar ($11.80), a 5-year-old Harlan's Holiday gelding co-owned by the trainer. Miller posted two victories last fall in the first Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, Stormy Liberal ($62.40) taking the Turf Sprint and Roy H. ($11.80) the Sprint. Roy H. was a finalist as champion male sprinter in the Eclipse Awards ceremony Thursday in Florida.

Sports on 01/26/2018

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